Girls und Panzer: Beschatten Wächter Abtrennung
by F-14 Tomcat Lover
Summary: Nishizumi Miho, second daughter of a famous and prestigous house. She is the second daughter... but would that mean she was a second child? Meet her older brother, short and tough Nishizumi Hiro. He joins up right after Miho's long lost ex-intended reappears as chief mechanic for Oorai Girls High School's Sensha-do Team. His name, Japanese-Korean-American, Ryo Woodsmith.
1. Tanks Assemble!

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Girls und Panzer or any related copyrighted material. This is a blanket Disclaimer from here on out.

_**Girls und Panzer: Beschatten Wächter Abtrennung**_

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Panzer Versammeln!**_

* * *

Surrounded, outnumbered, and tied up was not a good thing to any male when facing down irate females. Yet, here he was, a young man who styled himself as a seagoing world travelling hobo. He was completely surrounded, outnumbered, and all tied up as the situation was getting grim. So far, though, the girls had yet to call the police.

_'Probably wants to avoid a scandal,'_ he thought and then a light bulb went off in his head, though he kept his face clear as the student council president leaned in, her face right before his with a somewhat dark look, but also clearly calculating, _'I bet we can work out a deal, especially if I mix in a little blackmail.'_

Then as she was about to lean out, he was quick.

"Look, I meant no harm, really I didn't!" he declared, he actually didn't mean any harm, "I've never been to this school before, no surprise there really," he gave a weak smile as though his joke was as harmless as it looked, "Otherwise, you think I would have taken that door and only went from the frying pan into the fire that readily?"

'_Seriously,'_ he thought about the school was an all girls' high school and he was a teenage boy himself. Naturally, _he_ wouldn't be attending such a school in the first place. Which happened to be his best defense to beat a pervert reputation and getting into some serious trouble with the law. After all, he heard that they actually threw such scum into the ocean, thanks largely to space issues and resources being what they were on a seagoing city ship.

Best he could hope for was time in a Japanese Prison when they reached land and that was only _if_ they decided not to send him to Davy Jones' Locker.

"So you didn't mean to get a few free shows and possibly more?" the girl was again in his face and he could only groan in indignation and agony.

"I'm crazy, not stupid!" he declared, "Besides that, even a rumor like _that_ could ruin my nomadic life! Folks like me trade more on a credit and word than we do with any other form of currency," he sighed, feeling helpless if he couldn't get this turned around, "So I have more to lose than gain by such a stunt."

"Huh," the teenage girl only replied, "Sounds like that's really important."

_'Opening,'_ and he didn't have to play for it, "Yeah, it is! I'm strapped for cash all the time, but picking up things here and there, trading stories, carrying the legal bit of contraband," seeing the look on the girls faces, "Depends more on the nation, as you would be surprised how I could lose my head if I'm caught with the New York Times in a country that is vividly against Freedom of the Press," a thought came to mind on that, "I actually helped avenge this one guy I know, well, his brother actually," shaking his head, "The poor guy did nothing wrong, except have a book on him that was banned in one nation in order to maintain some crazy cult like control or something, crazy stuff like that," another shake of the head, "So a bunch of us got together and helped pretty much undermine that dictator and quite successfully, but you didn't hear that from me."

"Why not?" a nice looking girl with ginger colored hair asked, looking confused.

"One, who would believe me or one of the others or any of us for that matter in general," and the girl nodded, "And second, you know how big name nations are when a bunch of small guys do more than they do."

"Makes sense," the one girl I noticed that had a love affair with tanks, probably literally if she could get close to one, stated.

"Whatever," the president girl stated as she started to lean back.

"Um… Rumor has it you're planning something about the Sensha-do Competitions this year right?" it was the fastest I could think of, I did lose the opening, dammit!

"Where did you hear that?" the president girl looked cross and suspicious.

"I was sleeping in one of the holds you were poking around in earlier," I shrugged, too easy now, "You were hoping all the best tanks hadn't been sold off, since you weren't given much of a budget to restart after all," hopefully she'll read in between and from what I saw of her eyes, yep, she read me well.

I could see the look of realization flash across her face as she pulled me in. Now if I wanted to keep control, I had better be careful. Such were the issues of such a delicate discussion, especially more so when you had to come up with the right words on the spot and take control of the discussion at that right moment, if it ever came up that is.

_"Whoa, WHOA!"_ I shouted loudly, "I know I'm in the market to eventually settle down, but don't you think a _private_ discussion would be better?"

She knew I had her and she growled. Forcing me up was something of an issue; I could proudly say I stood at six foot even, a little under a couple of meters in height. I had so much height on her, it was rather sad I ended up in this predicament in the first place. Fortunately, I may have another out, just in case.

"Come on!" she dragged me down the hallway and found an empty room and promptly threw me in.

Or she tried to anyways.

The whole height issue came back and I only staggered. Something I was used to after all. Then she and her two fellow co-conspirators entered. I knew now only a straight talk would save us any of the headaches.

* * *

"Paper, pen, and pray your acting is up to speed," the young brownish-blond male stated before shouting about being roughed up and why his joke wasn't that bad.

The short in height, rust brown haired Kadotani Anzu indicated for the brown haired, well endowed, and more cautious Koyama Yuzu did so while the madam president began screaming her head right back for his words. The two were really going at it, making it sound so real as things were set in place, then acting on a moment that was just perfect, Kawashima Momo started yelling and even threw a chair against the door for added measure.

From the sounds of it, the girls gathered on the other side couldn't have backed up any faster than they were meant too. Then the four were seated, still going on and on with their acting, quiet most of it, then a voice would be raised and Momo would toss something or the sounds of someone getting rough would be made. Throughout it all they simply exchanged notes, the male, with a clear mixture of Asian and Caucasian would make a joke or two in a few and get some back.

The faces he would make, almost caused the girls to loose character and bust out laughing.

Momo did at one point that sounded scary to those still brave enough to be outside the door.

Then they got to the real business, once they were sure it was safe.

"Alright, what is your name in the first place?" Anzu demanded.

"I have a bit of a mix name compared to my appearance," there was a bit of chuckle, "It's Ryo Woodsmith, though I'm actually Korean-American, my mother was a Japanese-Korean woman and I lived in Japan for some years," Ryo shrugged here, "but I can't recall it since I was that young, but I was born in the good state of the Mariana Islands, so I'm a full American Citizen by birth, if I ever wanted to claim it that is," he shrugged, he rather enjoyed his nomadic lifestyle.

"I see, but you know something about our situation, more than mere words can convey on paper," Anzu stated, wanting to get to the bottom of this discussion.

"Yeah, the _Oorai-Meiden_ is on the verge of being transferred to someone else when the school is closed," Ryo stated without preamble and the three girls blinked in surprise, though he wasn't surprise they didn't know the rest, "There are some, in powerful corners, after the City Ships for one dumb reason or another," he shrugged, "I did say I helped to overthrow a dictator, but now you know why we are tight lipped about involvement, which is how I came across some of you missing tanks."

"THEY WERE CONVERTED INTO WAR MACHINES?!" Momo shot up, her glasses styled monocle coming off in the process as her hands slapped down onto the table.

"Almost," Ryo stated plainly, "The _Oorai-Meiden_ already has a scraping berth with her name on it and final sale pending when you close up at the end of the year," Ryo sighed as he leaned back, "I really hate guys like that, not only does it make my lifestyle hard, but it is just plain _WRONG_!"

"What about the tanks?" Yuzu pleaded, hoping their tanks hadn't gone to actual war.

Here, Ryo leaned back in, "I can have a number of them back in your holds inside of the time it takes to get to a dock and for me to get off and go to get them," Ryo then stood up and walked to view the world beyond the large window with his hands firmly clasped behind his back, "There aren't many, most were resold or were too old for continued use and so were either scrapped or place on displays around the world," he eyed the beautiful ocean and the city as well as the campus, truly a wonder of modern advancements, even if the _Oorai-Meiden_ was an older class, "These particular ones were also supposed to be scrapped, but never were, they were to undergo a SLEP and get some modernized updates to them in all categories, yet they never did, so they sit, unused and thankfully in mothballs at a warehouse not far off our course, in Guam, my birth home."

Anzu walked up, she could tell he wasn't trying to act cool. His hands shifted, not in fear, but anger. She could feel it faintly, boiling just beneath the service and she could tell that their tanks and that dictator along with their home had more in common than Ryo Woodsmith let on.

Yet she heard of people like him. They espoused the ancient nomadic qualities of self reliance and aid. But his, his was personal, though it would bring him honor and respect in the nomadic circles; he had a personal stake in this. He was now being thrust forward into this position.

"The whimsy of fate? Perhaps chance?" Ryo stated, he could see her reflection well, "Mayhap it be destiny? But a deal, if made, will see you the tanks you originally owned and there won't be a thing the would-be owner can do, since by law and contract they shouldn't exist anymore."

Anzu made the deal.

There would be no charges on anything, including his being a stowaway and items he had taken in order to survive. Most nomads like him, styled themselves more as hobos, whatever and wherever that term came from, so they did steal a little. Then the ones they took from would often find money and a letter some weeks later in the mail or even something having been done at their workplace or some such.

Hobos, like their more noble nomadic counterparts, respected a person's word more than their name and made every effort to make it stronger than steel.

"I'll even throw in a job if you can handle it," Anzu stated and the other two girls practically bolted upright from their seats.

Ryo spared her a glance, before looking back out to sea, "Before I can handle it, I must first perform the work, shouldn't I?"

"Then you'll take it?" Anzu glanced at the foreigner, _'He can't be older than a high school student himself,'_ she thought of the tall, mixed heritage young male, his dark green eyes staring out, like a forest at night, she noted from his handsome, if average features, "Or do you want details first?"

"I'll take it," he stated plainly, "Wouldn't be fair if you didn't get something out of it besides a bunch of tanks that you'll likely have to sit on for a few weeks until they can be thoroughly inspected, sorted, organized, and then crews selected and trained."

Anzu was taken back, but she knew she had a winner as she bowed formally, "Arigato."

"Dōitashimashite," Ryo bowed back equally formal.

* * *

A few days later, to the complete surprise of everyone onboard, the rumors and announcement were proven true. The _CSV Oorai-Meiden_ made port in the state of the Mariana Islands, the 52nd State of the United States of America. The ship ported on the island of Saipan and here people took the opportunity to get off the ship for a while as locals went aboard to trade and tour the vessel.

School-type City Ships never visited Saipan; the local schools were all land based and lacked the funding and desire for City Ships. So the _Oorai-Meiden_ was making a first and despite being old, drew many people who remembered that 20 years of rather peaceful Japanese rule after the Germans, before Saipan and the rest of the Marianas joined Guam as a US territory after bloody combat took the islands away from Japan and became US Unincorporated Territory after the Second World War. Part of the ship's appeal to them, especially those who were of Japanese ancestry, was the fact that most City Ships appeared like Aircraft Carriers. In the _CSV Oorai-Meiden_, it could be she was designed to look like either a _Hiyo_-class Light Carrier or even a Fleet Carrier like the _IJS Kaga_.

The Imperial Japanese Navy did fight hard, but eventually lost the battles in the waters around the Marianas and before that, made regular trips through them.

The only attention the ship garnered from certain corners had been mild curiosity. After all, it was only a matter of time before the ship was lost to its current owners. Why complicate the matter?

* * *

"I have _definitely_ have had better ideas in my life thus far," Ryo stated as he grunted, pulling the guard back into his guard shack and sitting him upright, "Geez, lay off the greasy fries or the heavy weights, whichever you do the most!"

As he thought and luck would have it, there was only one guard and a highly sophisticated security system. Though he was of the opinion that dogs and guards were better than computers any day of the week, period on that point, forget the 'twice on Sunday' part. Nevertheless, for a run downed looking series of warehouses, anymore 'real' security might have drawn attention. Yet he had to leave an official inquiry, _'Somehow anyways,'_ on why no one noticed the power requirements of seemingly useless warehouses that officially does _not _house something worth the sheer power generation.

Still it was a sweet setup. A power loss wouldn't have affected the place for long, but if left without an outside source of power, there would be 'considerations' to be considered. Plus the passive look of looking utterly useless and not worth a damn would have been especially good. Not that it mattered, as a security team would often check in right about now, but they were taking a nap in their vehicles.

_That_ had been the really hard part.

"Damn glad I ain't getting asked how I'm taking the tanks back," then the main door opened, seriously, how simple it was to trick the system into thinking he was the entire inspection team while making it think a test was ongoing and not reporting anything differently than was the usual to the central control facility where the rest of the security was less than eight kilometers down the road.

After turning the lights on, Ryo soon learned something that was not part of the plan.

"Why didn't I ask myself how I was going to get them out?" it was a setup he wasn't anticipating or expecting, "I really should have double checked those papers when I had the chance."

Row upon row of tanks could be seen peeking out of an underground hangar, which meant only one thing…

"HANDS UP!" the interior guard had him at gunpoint.

"Dammit," Ryo complained before complying and the guard stupidly stepping forward before an elbow to the face smashed into him, "Damn glad they didn't ask!" and the brawl ensured.

* * *

Nishizumi Miho felt like crying as her fears became a reality. After a surprising visit ashore into Saipan, she had returned to the _Oorai-Meiden_. The following week, she started life at her new school and quickly found herself with two new friends.

Things had started out really well from there. She was no longer Nishizumi Miho that she was a year earlier; she was just Nishizumi Miho now. Hopefully that would be the beginning of a very new start for her. After all, no one from Oorai City or Oorai High School would really know it was her after all.

Then she had met two girls, Isuzu Hana and Takebe Saori. Not even quite at school and she now had two new friends. It was nice; both girls were quick to welcome her and were very kind. The two seemed to be complete opposites of each other, but were apparently friends themselves and wanted to support her.

Miho had cynically wondered how long that was going to last for her, before banishing such thoughts.

Hana was a beautiful young lady and was the tallest of the three, probably about 1.6 meters or slightly less tall. She had typical Japanese appearance, but in such a way that she could potentially be a model herself. In Hana, Miho had found a girl that spoke and acted very much in a traditionally proper way, but she was still a young school girl at heart with a friendly smile and a gentle look in her eyes.

If Hana was to be describe as being close to a traditionally proper lady of Japan, than Saori was the opposite! Sure she wasn't some tomboy or, thank the kami, some loose girl, but she was more of a modern city girl who knew what she wanted and liked. Unlike Hana who wore the school uniform as stock standard, Saori wore thigh length socks and in her own appearance, seemed to have foreign blood in her, given how her hair was a ginger color, though her eyes were more brown than ginger.

Also, Hana was reserved, but Saori was outgoing, yet in a friendly, if bubbly way.

Still, it was a good start to the day and to her new school. Things progressed rather normally and Miho had felt happy at having attended Oorai High School. She could be a normal girl for the first time in her life, not one of two heiresses to the famed Nishizumi School or carrying the forced fame of her last few years. She was just a normal girl and that made her happy.

Then came the announcement and showing about Sensha-do.

It was being restarted at Oorai. She had chosen this school because it _**didn't**_ have Sensha-do! She wondered how long she could fly beneath the radar before someone noticed her. Miho had felt her new world about to shatter and she had no idea how right she had been.

The Student Council then came for her. They pretty much blackmailed and forced her into joining Sensha-do when she chose a different club to join. She was devastated and heartbroken, but then Hana and Saori stood beside her and joined with her. She felt relieved by that, having two friends that were going to go with her. They were standing beside her, they weren't asking questions, they were just there, being friends and with strength like that, she felt she could stand being in Sensha-do again.

If not for her new friends, the last two days would have been beyond her ability to cope. As it stood, she couldn't just transfer again, there was simply no way to do so. Financially, it was impossible, as was it academically, and morally… that was still open. Then again, her mother would have probably disowned her if she just fled.

The woman probably had already, same with her older sister.

So as she wandered on home she was surprised to hear an argument going on. It sounded like President Kadotani arguing with a boy, a teenage boy about their age if she wasn't mistaken, but she could be wrong. She hadn't met many boys about her age and there was something familiar about the voice. The way it shouted and argued, it was clear that the Student Council President had done something to earn the owner's anger and wrath, but the question was 'what?'

She couldn't resist, the familiar voice was comforting in a way. She heard her name brought up several times as she got closer. Carefully using the fading light, she spotted the two other members of the Student Council, the Vice-President who looked panicky and the PR Manager who looked composed, but her eyes betrayed her anxiety. As she got closer, she saw the short form of the President herself and a looming, larger form in basic blue coveralls. That was the male, but she couldn't see his face quite yet.

* * *

"I've made my decision!" Anzu shouted at Ryo, standing her ground and glaring up at the teenage boy, "We need her if we have any hope of winning!"

"You could have told her!" Ryo snarled back, his face briefly in the light, "She would have understood and could have a chance to think on it!"

"You said yourself that we don't have time!" the pig tailed teenage girl countered, "DAMMIT! You think I _liked _forcing her?! I hated every minute of it! Every second," her voice trailed off sharply, sounding defeated, but not in the argument, yet something else, "We need her and you know it. Stop fighting us on this. You promised to aid us, help us, but…" she trailed off, realizing just what might happen.

Ryo sighed, he knew this was going the wrong way. It was time to change that.

"Okay, I read you loud and clear, five by five," Ryo gave up, he knew how damn true it was that Miho was desperately needed and how she desperately needed Sensha-do to find herself again, "I don't like it, not one bit, but I know for a fact that she needs Sensha-do," a sudden punch into a nearby wall startled the girls, "I hate it, I will always hate it, how her mother just threw her away after she did the right thing."

Silence reigned, each lost in their own thoughts. It was a quiet reflection, the questions, the answers, the needs, the methods, the how too, all of it. It tore into each of them in a way that couldn't be fully understood.

Yet…

"The path is made, the course charted, a man must walk as such," Ryo stated as he turned and left, "I'll be there tomorrow unless something happens beyond my power, but I doubt it," he turned and threw a tired smile, "After all, if Miho is going to be forced into this, I have to be there to support her to my best and then a lot more from there."

"How do you two know each other?" the PR Manager asked, she was confused on that matter, he obviously knew the girl very well to react as he did.

"Couldn't you guess?" Ryo continued to walk away, "She's my ex-fiancé."

The three Student Council girls were dumbstruck and shocked and they weren't the only ones.

* * *

Miho had gone stock still. Her eyes wide as she saw the face, no longer the soft, chubby face of a little boy, but an average looking handsome face. It was the kind that could disappear in the crowd or be anyone's face. Yet to her, it was striking, with the deep jade green eyes, once so light and full of merriment, but now a darker shade that only she could see the concealed truths in them that tormented her ex-fiancé as the fiercely...

'_No,'_ she thought with a sad shake of her head, '_Unlike me, he has every reason to hate Sensha-do more, every reason to resent me for continuing, but he wants me to continue...'_ she felt the tears sting, '_He wants me to succeed on my own strength and merit,' _this confused her since she could see all that was there in the windows to the soul and why he should have hated the Art.

She knew too well the why too.

It was why they were no longer fiancés as arranged by their parents so many years ago.

Yet...

She felt a warmth in her chest that she hadn't felt since before then. Someone who saw Miho as herself and cared for her only as such. She could feel herself being happy about that, that it was her he was still seeing. Even after so many years, he was in her corner. He even said she had been right a year ago.

Pushing off the wall she had ended up leaning against without knowing it, she headed back to her small home on the _Oorai-Meiden_. She had a small smile on her face, as she held a hand to her chest. The tears of happiness she never noticed gently rolled down her cheeks as a shadowy figure observed quietly, a sense of contentment from the figure as it faded away.

For Miho, that night was a night filled of happy memories as she dreamed peacefully in her slumber.

* * *

The waking call of the bugle came too soon for those on the _Oorai-Meiden_. People were startled out of bed as someone blew Reveille as soon as the Sun began to peek over the horizon. The call for morning awakening went on for a good five minutes, ending precisely at 0605 in the morning.

Though it hadn't been a quiet tamper off, so much as the cannon roars attested to.

Then it was followed by a song that had people groaning and agreeing as they rolled out of bed to begin the day.

"I'm gonna find that bugler and I tell you, I'm gonna definitely put dynamite in his bugle at night!" Akiyama Yukari heard her father declared as she eagerly awaited the start of the day.

"What about the pup that wakes bugler up?" Yukari heard her mother asked with a smile on her face, though it was clear if that person was found, their lifespan just shrank dramatically.

"Why that is for you to decide dear!" Yukari laughed at her father's words and oh so innocent face.

Before Yukari or her mother could say anything, a sudden blast caught the Akiyama family's attention. The three shared a look and then they rushed to the nearest window looking out onto the street. They were just in time as a green mass of metal begin clanking down the street before stopping. Then a long barrel at the front elevated and...

_**-BOOM!-**_

"A M24 CHAFFEE LIGHT TANK!" Yukari squealed in joy as the olive drab green, nearly 20 ton, low pressure 75mm main gun armed World War Two Light Tank with '_Louisville Slugger'_ painted in white on the sides of the turret as it continued its roll down the street before stopping and firing off another blank.

"I'll be!" a man suddenly shouted, "They're _restarting _Sensha-do!"

Doors and windows slammed open as the little tank that stood at nearly 2.8 meters in height rumbled down the road. The vehicle then stopped, elevated its gun again, and it fired off another blank before continuing on its merry way. A sign on the back asked for forgiveness for the racket it was making, but most of the folks were just too excited at seeing the M24 rumbling peacefully down their streets and announcing the revival of Sensha-do.

* * *

Reizei Mako grumbled until she saw the tank passing by her home. It stopped and then fired, a most effective alarm for her to wake up in the morning. She took in the dimensions, the design, and the armament and for some reason, wondered what it would be like to drive something such as that little tank.

* * *

All over the place, people turned out to see or were talking about the little Light Tank that was rumbling through their streets, firing blanks off. It was one way to announce that Oorai Girls High School was returning to the Sensha-do matches. And a heck of a way to do it too.

* * *

Izusu Hana looked up as the tank stopped before her. It was such a squat looking thing, but it had some grace and fluidity in its design from what she could see. Then she saw the gun elevate and fire and at that moment, something stirred warmly in her chest. A feeling that she couldn't describe as she began her walk to school anew. A feeling as she looked over her shoulder to see that tank roll on, stopping, elevating the gun, and firing another blank that just grew with each shot and each increasing meter of distance.

She didn't look back forward until a pair of strong hands suddenly landed on her shoulders. She promptly turned to look forward and saw a grinning face. She epp'ed and leaped back and almost tumbled over, if not for those same strong hands that caught her and helped her regain her balance. Hana felt so embarrassed at the whole mess, but she did her best to regain her composure afterwards.

"My apologies," she bowed forward at once, noticing what looked like leather or suede pants and shoes, both of a tanish color with red, white, blue and yellow stripes and trim, "I should have been looking forward," she stayed bowed over only to hear the male chuckle and he gently helped to right her into standing.

Hana felt her face light up in a deep blush. The young male before her was about her age, maybe a little older. He had a handsome face with strong features of a strong fighter, though it was clear he was the merry making sort from the playful grin on his face. Another thing she noticed was the face paint, red paint stripped onto his cheeks and sitting under his eyes. He wore a blue, yellow, and white headband that held long hair to the sides, framing his face somewhat, but she could see he had a clear view to all sides.

She felt her eyes drop a little and her already deep blush turned positively scarlet at the fact that he wore only a tannish coat and waist cloth with a yellow and white belt blue sleeves and red marks decorated his bare and built chest.

Her mind had shut down until he spoke, his voice was deep and throaty, but held a gentle edge to it.

"I know that most men walk with shirts, but we do not," and Hana's eyes came back to his face and she realized he was Japanese despite his attire and look, yet she could have sworn she had seen his look somewhere else?

His eyes and hair reminded him of someone else for some reason.

"Okay," he turned his head and scratched his nose, "This is awkward."

"Ah!" Hana finally came back to her senses, "My apologies," she tried to bow again, only she couldn't, he held her firmly upright.

"No more of that, besides," he chuckled as he looked up at the Sun, "You're going to be late after all," and he stepped aside and she realized just what he meant when she saw another girl dash by, crying out about being late.

"AH!" she made a sound of surprise and then took off, not realizing that her sudden movement had given him a bit of a free show.

"Rather well mannered for a teenage girl," the young male chuckled before following, "Good looking too," he thought it over and shrugged, "Mother would say I could do worse than a flower girl, but the way she was looking at that tank, hmm?"

Perhaps she would take well to Sensha-do. The fact that she would show a response to every shot of the 75mm gun, told something. She was prim and proper, clearly from her hands and delicate stances, she was a flower arranger. And not a first generational type either, but several generations, which would still be good as far as his mother was concerned.

'_Eh,'_ he mentally shrugged as he headed in the direction of the high school, '_Ain't got nothing better to do and that _is _the Louisville Slugger making the announcement,'_ he knew Ryo quite well.

They had eaten the same mud in the past and fought together against that dictator.

"Things are going to get interesting," the young male walked forward, drawing as much attention for his appearance as his size.

* * *

As the girls assembled, the could hear the Chaffee returning back. The rubberized tracks were a far cry from the steel clanking of other tanks. The vehicle rolled on into the field area they were assembling before a row bricked warehouses with steel doors and armored windows.

Talk and discussions were breaking out in private groups. As the M24 Light Tank moved to find itself a parking space, several girls were wondering who was driving it. The AFV was handled expertly by the driver as they chose a spot a little ways away. The tank soon came to a complete stop once it had been parked with all the ease of a compact in an empty parking lot.

Or so the girls thought until they spotted the tank next to it.

Or rather the...

"AN M18 HELLCAT TANK DESTROYER!" one lone, brunette girl shouted in surprise and excitement, "One with a 90mm main gun no less! So cool!" she held her hands in front of her chest as she danced about in happiness.

Hana only giggled behind her hand at the girl's actions. Though she had to admit, the two, with their olive drab green paint and pure white stars on the hulls did have an allure to them. They were built with graceful lines and gentle edging and her eyes, not used to tanks as they were with flowers, nonetheless noted the care and attention put into their construction and arrangement.

The two AFVs looked like someone had been tending real well to them as of late as they both showed a shine that she could swear that they hadn't shown in years.

"Louisville Slugger, the Woodsmith Family Tank," Miho suddenly spoke with her eyes fixed upon the smaller AFV, "An actual combat tank from the Second World War that saw some actual combat before it concluded and continued to see combat off and on for decades thereafter before it somehow found itself back in the hands of the family that built, tested, and drove the tank into its first and second wars," a wistful smile was on her face as memories came back, "The last time I saw it, it had a 76mm gun in place of its original 75mm gun, a result of its brief use in the army forces of Chile."

"You know that tank?!" Saori was surprised at her friend's look and knowledge.

"Hai, I do," Miho replied as her eyes took in the tank, "The 76mm gun was replaced with the original 75mm gun and it was rebuilt briefly as one of the earliest Sensha-do tanks and despite the years, it still fought hard, even shooting the tanks of my great-grandmother and her daughter later on, out from under them."

"So as a tank, it has character, culture, and a long history behind it," Hana summed up, feeling most honored to see a real tank from the middle 20th Century right before her, then she focused her eyes on the larger Hellcat, "What of that tank?"

"Tank Destroyer actually," Miho corrected, though the mistake was easy to make, "Known as the Flowing Mist, it belonged to the Atsugi Park Clan, a clan of Koreans that moved to Japan decades ago and are multi-generational Korean-Japanese."

"Eh?!" Saori was surprised, "So we have two other families who are expert in Sensha-do?!"

That caught attention, but Miho was quick to correct her new friend.

"No," Miho shook her head sadly, "Both fell into decline years ago with both tanks having vanished," the driver's hatch on the Slugger popped open and two arms reached out and began to pull, then push the body of the blue coverall wearing male out of the tank, "As such, the two were rumored to be with the one who seeks to restore both names, Ryo Woodsmith, the third son of the Park-Woodsmith union between two well placed members of the two families," Miho looked ready to cry as the tanker helmet was removed and several of the girls gasped in recognizing the male as he put the helmet back into the tank and then dropped down to walk on over, "RYO!" Miho suddenly left her friends and ran to and threw herself into the teenage boy's arms, who happily accepted the leaping hug.

"Miho!" he called out, actually having to put a foot back to keep from toppling over, "Dang girl, you got tough while I was away!" the green eyed blond smiled fondly at his former intended, "And plenty beautiful too," his voice had gone soft, showing he didn't want the others to hear him.

"I see our Chief Mechanic has arrived," Anzu announced as she stepped forward, flanked by her two subordinates, "May I introduce, properly this time, Ryo Woodsmith, from the famed American Woodsmith Family, but his mother also comes from the Atsugi Park Clan and therefore, the Flowing Tiger School of Sensha-do!" Anzu panned her hand at the young male who came to parade attention before standing rigid and bowing before all the girls assembled.

"I am Ryo Woodsmith, traveling tanker and son of the Woodsmith and Atsugi Park Families," the male then came up, "I'll be both the Chief Mechanic and a source of advice should you wish to seek it out," the girls were already speaking to one another when he finished off, "I am most honored that you would put your lives into my care," he said with another respectful bow, "I will ensure your tanks meet and exceed your standards and carry you to victory!"

The girls began to chat amongst themselves. Saori especially spoke with Hana on the subject, even as Ryo switched to parade rest and awaited further instruction. Anzu knew the commotion it would bring so she decided to bring things under control.

"Chief Woodsmith over here please," and the male smartly turned on his heel and marched over with military precision, "Nishizumi-san, please return to your group, you two will be free after we get things started to talk, understood," two acknowledgements and Anzu clapped her hands happily, "Then let's get class started!"

With that announcement and a brief welcoming and thank you speech, the two steel doors behind her swung open to reveal... a place of junk and stacked boxes with a single beat up and ill-maintained Panzer Mark IV-D.

"Huh?!" one girl gasped at the sight.

"Where are all of the tanks?!" another cried out in surprise.

"Sorry, but this is it," Ryo stated with a bit of wince, "I haven't seen a tank that bad in years, but what do you think Miho?"

All the girls blinked in surprise at his use of her personal name and no prefix attached to it.

Miho walked forward through the group and placed her hand on the Mark IV. She carefully eyed the tank with the great practice she has had over the years. She could see much in those few moments. Yet she also felt something, a little spark of something she couldn't begin to explain.

"The Werke-Nummer on it states it's an authentic original from the Bavaria All Women College," Ryo stated a bit as he looked up at the tank, "But the hull and turret themselves come from a Mark IV that was knocked out in France in 1940, converted later to StuG IV about 1944, and then restored to a Panzer Mark IV later that year before escaping the Battle of the Bulge, and eventually being driven home by the crew, who lived in Bavaria, in 1945 where it sat in a specially rebuilt barn until the Bavarian ladies found it by chance and restored it back to its fighting capacity as a Competition Tank," he chuckled here, "Actually knocked out Slugger once in a match and was in turn knocked out by Flowing Mist the next year who was knocked out by Slugger three matches later, and that concludes the how my two families met themselves story."

"Wow!" a girl called out in surprise.

"So romantic!" Saori chimed as each girl made their own contributions to which Ryo sighed, glad he didn't mention how his folks met.

He'll never hear the end of it!

"The armor and treads of the tank are okay," Miho suddenly said, gaining attention, "We can work with this tank."

"But it has so much rust on it!" Saori declared and a couple of other girls also complained about the poor shape, though Hana called the rust 'culture' and 'character' which honestly surprised Ryo as he knew few would think about rust on a tank like that.

"It can still work," Miho stated confidently, "It just needs to be cleaned out," Miho's nose though automatically wrinkled in thought of the smells she was likely to find.

"Already aired the crew compartment earlier," Ryo stated with some disgust on his face, "I wish you didn't think about the smell. It took an hour just to get where I could cover it up this morning and I pretty much had to air myself out last night."

"That long?" Miho looked surprised.

"That long and _sealed _shut believe it or not," Ryo shook his head, "It took me almost three days to even get into a position I could pop the seals and another day just to pry the hatches open, but I can safely say they don't make them like this anymore," he patted the big boy's armored flank, ignoring the grime and dust and dirt and what else there could be on it, "Just needs some TLC and a good bath and I promise you, he'll sing like he's the best solo since the mid Twentieth Century."

That remarked earned him some ire from the girls behind before Anzu brought the group back to attention.

"Okay, enough about the hottest singers," Anzu interrupted, though one wouldn't know it, the three Councilmembers agreed with Ryo, "We still have to go out and find the other tanks after all."

"What?" one girl with glasses made the intelligent question.

"Find?" another girl about the glasses age.

"What do you mean?" Saori inquired and Momo stepped up.

"We have so far only the Panzer Mark IV here," she indicated the battered tank, "We'll still need at least four other tanks for this many people," before anyone could object, "The two AFVs-"

"Armored Fighting Vehicles," Ryo supplied to the girls who didn't know.

"-outside belong to Ryo and cannot participate at this time because they haven't been configured for some time to participate in Sensha-do matches," Momo finished her brief.

"As such," Anzu stepped forward again, "You will have to go out and find the others, because in all honesty, when they shut the Sensha-do class down, they did it half-assed and no one kept any straight files on what happened to the tanks."

The girls suddenly turned to Ryo, as he knew the Mark IV's history.

"I found an authentic manufacturer's plate from a company that made Panzers during World War Two," Ryo shrugged, "I just traced the number on it, but it didn't tell me how he ended up in Oorai or even why, beyond the obvious," he shrugged again, "It is a mystery that the Prez has me digging into on the side and hopefully to find some more of the tanks, aber bisher nichts," he finished in German.

"So we have no other tanks," another girl, he guessed they were fresh from middle/junior high school, whined at the thought of it.

"Well I did actually know where to acquire a couple of Oorai's sold off tanks," Ryo shrugged as the girls looked hopeful, "But they should have been scrapped according to their papers, but weren't, so I just had them brought back aboard, due to breach of contract that resulted in the tanks being recycled back to the original owner, that being Oorai Girls HS according to all documents thus far recovered," Ryo simply shrugged again, and was getting tired of it, "But to make them worthy of competition we have to go through the proper channels, so they might not be immediately available for some months if not a few years, don't ask, it's all politics and red tape and I gave up figuring that nonsense out years ago."

"What kind of tanks?" the girl in the Afrika Korps uniform tunic and officer's peak hat inquired.

"A StuG IV Assault Gun, a T-44 Medium Tank, there _is _a M24 Chaffee Light Tank in the mix too, a M10 Wolverine TD or Tank Destroyer, an Infantry Tank A23 Black Prince, and finally a Cavalry Tank A24 Centurion Mark I, later redesignated in later Marks as a Universal Tank and eventually Main Battle Tank that served with militaries and still serves with some militaries to this day, the more famous is the South African Olifant," Ryo listed off and stated in a single breath, much to the girls' collective surprise.

"None of which matters until the paperwork can be sorted out," Anzu stated and sighed, that was mostly going to be her thing, fortunately, they had a legal department and could hopefully have them in action much sooner, "But either way we have to start searching for the other tanks, so with this one, we need only to find four more, but if you find others, please let us know and Chief Woodsmith will make preparations to recover them later."

"That I will," the brownish-blond teen stated, before remembering something, "OH! If any of you find paperwork or plain just _anything _related to the school's Sensha-do, also bring that along or notify me and I'll inform the Prez, since she plans to -hopefully anyways- to get a museum up and running about past teams to give you better traction for later years."

"That and the paperwork will most likely help you," Yuzu added and Ryo sighed.

"I hate paperwork," and all the girls started giggling as they simply started to head out looking for the missing tanks.

"All you sure that there are still some others?" a girl with a red scarf asked the Student Council.

"Yes, we are, somewhere," Momo stated.

"Have fun!" Anzu called out, "We'll be coordinating the effort from here!"

Once all the girls had left, Ryo stepped up next to the diminutive Student Council Prez, "You _are _sure there are a few left, right?"

"We found some paperwork that indicates about eight or nine tanks still left at most, besides the Mark IV-D," Momo explained and Ryo nodded and walked over to a parked jeep, hearing Saori complain about needing to go and find tanks.

"Miho gets the Mark IV," Ryo stated without looking back, "When she feels she can command, it will be a good tank for her."

"Already planned it that way," Anzu waved off his concern, "She's used to Mark IVs, why change that?"

* * *

Five minutes later...

"What possessed you to think that you could find something like AFVs in a Parking Lot?" Ryo could see Saori's face light up in embarrassment and he had to rein in the urge to massage his forehead and instead chose, "Where are planning to go next?"

"The forest!" the new girl, Akiyama Yukari shouted with the all excitement of a girl who should be half her age.

'_Takes all kinds,'_ he could also see this was her first time really interacting with peers of either gender for whatever reason, "Climb on, I'll give you a lift as far as the Jeep can go."

"_WOW!"_ Yukari gushed, "Is it another battle hardened veteran of past wars?"

"Vintage Korean War manufacture, but only saw service in the English countryside as Military Police vehicle," Ryo stated, "This old boy actually belongs to the school itself and the paperwork is even accounted for," then he thought about it, "For the most part anyways."

The four girls giggled as they climbed in, found spots for themselves. Miho had taken the passenger seat right next Ryo, smiling at him which he returned, both oblivious to Saori's face of thought. Said girl though, joined Hana in the back, while Yukari happily hopped onto the front of the Jeep and sat down eagerly on the hood much to Ryo's good nature laughter.

"Hold onto yer skirt up there wee lass," he called out to Yukari who excitedly responded affirmative giggling at his bad attempt at a Scottish accent, before he turned to the two girls in back, "Same for yer t'o," before turning the engine over and with a call of "Hang on tight! Seriously!" he put the Jeep into gear and began to drive off when he felt the back bounce with added weight.

"Okay fella," Ryo didn't take his eyes off the road, "you better have a good reason."

"Of course I do!" the boy Hana had met earlier called over the wind, "But how'd you know it was me?"

"In that outfit!" was the only response.

"Right."

* * *

The group of First Years had gathered in the library, looking for the tanks. They figured they'd look through the books there. Strangely, pages were missing from books, as were entire books and even volumes. They had found a painted over sign that indicated where the school's Sensha-do documents were supposed to be, same with the roll call of past teams, information on the tanks, and just about everything else too.

They found it strange, but they at least had information to start looking for and they would inform the Student Council and their Chief Mechanic about the rest later.

* * *

"How did a tank wind up here?" Kondou Taeko wondered as they followed a hot lead to where a tank might be.

The place they were looking for was high terrain and the signs of tank training were clear even now. Though it was also clear that someone really went out of their way to hide it. It was a forested area on the 'mountain' tops of the mobile city. From the looks and the information they were passing back to 'headquarters,' Ryo and another boy stated it sounded like the old Fortification Training Site.

Apparently tackling fixed fortifications had also been a style of matches years ago, but had fallen out of favor for some reason. The two did report, along with Miho, that it was starting to get back into favor, largely to re-enact famous battles of the past. The remaining volleyball club members could see how that would require a tank with a 'hull mounted gun' and 'duck tailed rear' that drove up to train, but never came back.

"_The description is pretty lame,"_ Ryo stated over the cellphone's speaker, "_But if I was betting man -which I am-, I'd say a Japanese tank, likely a Type 89 series."_

"How do you guess that?" Sasaki Akebe inquired, as the girl passed a ball between herself and Kawanishi Shinobu.

"_The paint sounds either British North African style or Imperial Japanese Army standard,"_ Ryo replied, "_And the description of design is not British, especially with a 'duck tail design' involved."_

"Right," Isobe Noriko nodded, though Ryo couldn't see it, "We'll call once we find it and send a picture of it too for identification," she ducked under a low branch and stopped, "Um, Chief Woodsmith... Would there still be unexploded tank bullets laying around," she eyed the strange device in front of her.

"_Called shells actually, but you can simply call them rounds and that depends on if they ever did clean up,"_ Ryo could be heard getting nervous, "_Just watch where you step, most should have been solid slugs not high explosive shells and I'll call the Prez to call the Police and have an EOD team from the JSDF fly out and clear it later, but pull out at _once _if you feel it's too risky!"_ Ryo's voice was hard and firm on the matter, "_Can't play volleyball particularly well with a peg leg or claw."_

"Thanks, we will," Noriko carefully stepped back and the girls were now on alert, tense as the moved about the forest, thankfully, for safety reason, the mines were never live, only full of confetti and harmless blanks and they had all been accounted for...

In theory.

* * *

The four girls that made up the historical group, Ryo and company had been unsure if they were a club or not, were speaking to an old woman. She herself never really liked the idea of Sensha-do, but remembered the pride it installed in girls who participated. The old woman remembered that her late daughter had brought a tank, she had died in a traffic accident only a couple of years ago. The tank she described lacked a turret and was still on the family plot, she showed the girls where too...

At the bottom of a pond.

"That's correct," Erwin, real name Matsumoto Satoko reported to the Student President, "We can access, yes," she confirmed to Anzu, but since the earlier scare, "So Ryo will drive out with diving gear then, very well, though we would like to see if it is still here," Erwin requested and was asked a question, "Those who had closed down the school's teams before didn't want a tank just laying around, but they apparently might never have bothered to recover it."

Already Nogami Takeko, nicknamed 'Oryou,' was probing the pond bottom with a makeshift device to hopefully hit the hard top of a tank which would be a lot different from the steel plate of the ship.

"Yes, thank you, Oryou is already on it," then the girl in question seemed to slam the pole into the water and a hollowed sound came back, "Found something," Erwin reported and she then smiled, "Right, we're wait, thank you for putting faith in us. Very well, see you soon as well," she hung up, "The madam President has given us leave to wait until Chief Woodsmith arrives with diving gear," each girl was diving certified, "and then we will see what we have."

"Why the delay?" Sugiyama 'Saemonza' Kiyomi inquired with an annoyed tone, though she was trying to be respectful, "We could dive now and confirm."

"The girls looking for another tank in the mountains came across unexploded ordnance and the Student Council felt it wise to take precautions," Erwin supplied and the girls nodded.

"I brought tea and crackers," the final girl, everyone called her Caesar, but her real name is Suzuki Takako, stated as she pulled the items and a blanket out as the old woman came back with some herself.

"Oh my, did you find it?" the woman inquired kindly, she would rather see her daughter's tank put to service, "I just found the documents too," the woman gave them to Erwin and the girl opened them up to have a look.

"Yes we believe- WHOA!" Erwin was quite surprised, "It's not a tank! It's an Assault Gun! A StuG III-F with assault gun no less!" she bowed most appropriately along with the other girls, "ARIGATO OBAA-SAN!"

"Oh my!" the old woman giggled at how polite and excited the young girls were.

* * *

"This way!" one of the first years called out and waved her light and together the six girls headed down another corridor.

They had found what they had been looking for in those books. The location of just one tank. That was good, but they could make out information, if disjointed, that others could be found. Once in the hands of the Student Council, they just might find more tanks. It was definitely worth a shot.

"This corridor next!" another called before adding as her light revealed something, "Watch your step! It looks like maintenance hasn't been down he- LOOK!" her light revealed the signs of a tank being moved through as the tank hauler was still parked where it had been left and there were tracks from a tank's treads in the dirty floor.

"HOORAY! We're going to find it!" a third girl called out and they began to move carefully, unaware of a pair of lazy eyes watching them as they went.

Once the light was gone, the owner of the eyes stood up. Looking to where the girls went, it merely cocked its head and then shook it. Then it stretched, popping bones in its back before moving in a circle and then laying back down, wrapping its tail around its head as the house cat yawned and went back to sleep.

* * *

"So you're Miho's _older _brother?" Saori cocked her head to the side slightly in disbelief.

With a sigh, Nishizumi Hiro wondered why it's always has to be that! So he was short for a guy! What was the big deal? He could take a man out that was nearly double his size and had done so in the past. He was an accomplished marksmen and graduated from college, of all places, already before he was 15 years old and was also aircraft pilot as well.

"Why is it always about my height?" he asked the heavens aloud, but turned to Hana's giggle and saw how she found the by play entertaining, "Well, at least I know how to keep the ladies smiling!"

Yukari was giggling herself with Miho off to the side. It had been a truly touching reunion between big brother and little sister. Miho had been overjoyed to see her long lost big brother who had left home years ago. He and their mother had had a major fight and he had simply packed a bag and stormed out and had never returned.

Later they had been informed he had died, but then a letter turned up revealing he was fine and was in good health. He had simply ran afoul of some troublemakers and had to address the issue. He would return when he was done and good and ready again.

Teasingly, he had added, '_Hopefully with a wife!'_

Their mother threaten to tear more than a strip of skin off when he finally did return.

Giggling the last out of her system, Miho turned to face her brother. She had a serious look on her face and he wondered what it could be. When Miho got serious, he took note as unlike their mother and sister, she just didn't take to getting serious as a full time job.

"Brother," Miho measured her words and he wondered what she was going to say, "Why are you dressed without," her face flushed, "without," she couldn't just say, "WITHOUT A SHIRT ON?!" she shouted out, her face really heating up in the silence that followed, "Sorry," she looked away, nervous.

Hiro looked at his sister for a few moments, before he busted up laughing. He couldn't stop himself even though it was clear he was trying. After all these years, the first thing she would ask about would be the shirt or rather lack of a shirt. Their mother and sister would have been a bit more interested in his general appearance and then start tearing into about the fact he was bare chested. It was why he loved Miho the most. She had her priorities straight.

"Hiro joined an actual nomadic tribe unlike myself," Ryo provided, finally off the phone with Yuzu, "They have their own city ship, but not land city, which suits them fine, but they pretty much bring everything with themselves as well."

"A simple people really," Hiro added with a fond smile then he stuck a thumb at himself, "I've actually made a warrior of myself in their eyes and as such, I'm a member of the warrior ranks," he smiled widely, "I already got two wives too, bet mom never saw that coming!"

"_NANI?!"_ the four girls shouted in surprise so loudly that animals took to running or flight.

* * *

"What was that?" Yuzu wondered with a tilted head before shrugging.

Both Anzu and Momo shared a confused look before going back to their discussion.

* * *

"Geez, come on!" Hiro was trailing behind his sister now who was royally pissed.

"That wasn't funny Hiro!" Miho made a point not to look at her brother as she stomped through the trees, "You said in your last letter you would bring back a wife."

"I was up for consideration to marry the chief's niece at that time!" he declared and Miho suddenly came to a sudden halt, causing Yukari to crash into her.

"What?!" the girl spun on her heel to look at her brother as Ryo and Hana helped Yukari back to her feet, "You _were _serious?!" her eyes were wide like dinner plates, "Mother said you were only teasing her, _which sounded like __**you**__!_"

"Admittedly true at the end there, as it does sound like me," Hiro rubbed the back of his head as he looked up and off to the side, before turning back, "But I wasn't kidding," he took a picture out that showed him and a beautiful girl, slightly older than him in the picture, "I did marry her," his smile soft, his eyes glazed in remembrance, "I had just earned my status as a new warrior among the Kutolah and so I was selected to marry Enkhtuyaa, which means 'Ray of Peace' and is a good name for a battle tired warrior to come home to or just to find the way home."

"So it was arranged?" Saori tilted her head in curiousity.

"Kind of," Hiro admitted sheepishly, "We pretty much lived out that fairy tale story of the lone traveler being found and rescued by the nomadic princess and I came to be her personal tactician and later her suitor and then husband."

"Saved that city ship from a band of pirates and scrap metal dealers with a bigot edge to their minds," Ryo snorted in memory of the two groups, "Some Chinamen, they wanted the fleet for the metal value and to kill off what is a mix tribe of North American tribes and Mongolian nomads."

"WHAT?!" Yukari and Saori looked incensed at the thought of a city ship being merely scrapped while Hana's eyes narrowed at the reference of racism.

"That can't be true, not today," Miho looked horrified on both counts, but all four girls were angry about it.

"Unfortunately it is very true," Hiro stated with a hard edge in memory and Miho was shocked to hear it, "There are always bigots about, didn't realize I had started to develop a bigotry edge myself until I had it laid before me and I can't even begin to describe how disgusted I felt."

"Hmm," Ryo was strangely silent before speaking, "Most cultures try to uniform, even today, their people. That builds, of course, an underlying disdain for other cultures, but it has been changing as of the last hundred and fifty years, give or take."

"Yes," Hiro agreed, "Until I travelled, as you know Miho, we never encountered an African for example," Miho could only nod, "True we've encountered Europeans and other Asians and the occasional Pacific Islander, but never someone from Africa or South America and even the rest of Asians nor the Eurasians that exist up in Eastern Russia and Mongolia itself," Hiro indicated where North was, "As such, when I did I didn't know how to properly act and was quite insulting and rude, but then I had it laid before me and I realized how wrong I was and learned and became better for it."

"Hiro learned that bigotry isn't just a White Man's game, but can be found in all parts of the world," Ryo explained, leaning against a tree with arms folded, "As such being American by birth, I had early exposure to people of all racial backgrounds from the world over early on and their accomplishments that helped to build America into a strong and great power for a nation still so young."

"I see," Miho replied, now that she thought about it, aside from the Woodsmith family, she never really interacted with many others, even...

"A world journey was just what I needed," then he pulled out a few more pictures, showing him and another girl, one slightly younger,"My other wife is named Bolormaa, meaning 'Crystal Woman,' don't ask, even I still don't get, but man is she like having a fine crystal in hand," Ryo chuckled at Hiro's look, not that he blamed him and eyed Miho out of the corner of his eye.

"You're... you're... you're..." Miho looked ready to have a mental shutdown.

"I'm also a father as these photos prove," Hiro held them up, showing a pair of boys and a girl, and Miho looked like she was shutting down from the information download of having two sisters-in-law and two nephews and a niece.

"It is their way Miho," Ryo came to the rescue, "They'll actually beginning to show less stock Native American and Mongolian these days as they are an open people, but they must always be respected as well, but very few still join the ranks as they are very picky about the qualities of character more than anything else."

"Well, none of this will help us find those tanks," Hiro put his pictures away, "Miho can grill me later."

"Agreed," Ryo pushed off his tree.

"Then let's go!" Yukari pumped her arm and turned pointed down the path they were on, "Panzer Vor!"

Saori who turned to looking at a map with Miho suddenly whirled on the Yukari with a horrified look on her face, "PANTIES FALL?!"

Hana who had taken on a brief hurt look at the thought of Hiro being married, and at all, had started to walk down the path and nearly collapsed at Saori's words. The proper girl managed to grab a tree to steady herself. Miho had rebooted at Saori's words and stood wide eyed with a hanging jaw. Even Yukari had nearly tumbled over, if not for a well placed branch she grabbed onto, but from the sound behind her, Hiro and Ryo hadn't.

"PFT-AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" both boys were down and laughing hard, though it was clear they were trying to get themselves under control, but they couldn't and it sounded like they were both choking and laughing as they tried to bring themselves under control.

"COME ONE IT'S NOT THAT FUNNY!" Saori shouted at the two boys, stomping over and standing over them.

Both boys began to recover and then they looked up. Saori was standing over them with the slight breeze, both from the ship's movement and an actual breeze and as such, her skirt was ruffled. Neither boy had been expecting to see what they saw. It was rather quite shocking really.

"Um... Saori," Ryo started, blushing, "Nice view of the fact you wear regular cotton whites, but I think we should date first."

Saori's face went red as she realized the boys' view and her own stance. First surprise set it, followed by horror. After that, came the realization of not one, but two boys looking up her skirt, which was in turn followed by mortification of the whole event. Then after she had hit that point, panic swelled up, she screamed and both boys were already running down the trail before she could give chase.

"GET BACK HERE!" the ginger haired girl shouted as she pursued, "I'M GONNA KILL YOU FOR REAL THIS TIME RYO-HENTAI!"

"I'm married!" Hiro shouted in defense.

"I'll leave you to your wives then pervert!"

"Should we, um," Miho looked a bit frightened and nervous, "Save them?" she suggested at last.

"Hmm..." Hana was in thought, "It is mostly fault on Saori, but I believe they could have looked elsewhere."

"I think they were innocent," Yukari sighed, she had her fair share of pervert run-ins and frankly, neither fit the bill, "but we should be looking for those tanks instead."

"Agreed," Hana nodded and the three set back off, before Miho suddenly came to a halt.

"What did Saori-chan mean by kill Ryo for real this time?" the girl tilted her head, as both Hana and Yukari sighed and let her know about how Ryo came to being employed, though much of it was theory.

"NANI?!" and the birds who had returned to rest, took flight again.

* * *

"What was that?" Anzu and Momo sighed at the VP, but were curious as well.

* * *

"Owie," Saori rubbed her bottom as she stood up.

She had collided with Ryo's back when he suddenly stopped cold in his tracks. Both he and Hiro were still looking forward when she looked up to first him and then over to Hiro. She then turned her attention forward and there in front of them, sitting in a parking lot was a...

"You know," Ryo started, "You were right about looking in a parking lot Takebe-san," he shook his head, "A pair of tanks, go figure."

There before them was indeed a pair of tanks. One was peeking out from behind a building, but the other was right in front of them. The one in front was literally lit up as a _neon _sign. Yet even so, to Ryo and Hiro's experienced eyes, they could tell it was in good shape, would run just right once fixed, and looked to have been cared for well enough.

Saori, on realizing there were two tanks right in front of them, pulled out her cellphone and was quick to call President Kadotani and the her two aides.

* * *

"_You're kidding!"_ Anzu heard Momo shout in surprise.

"What is it Momo?" as the short girl began to munch on a chip of dried sweet potato.

"Ryo, Takebe Saori, and apparently Nishizumi Miho's older brother, Hiro, just found a pair of tanks in a parking lot near that store you often buy your dried sweet potato chips from," Momo replied in a surly tone.

"_**WHAT?!"**_ Anzu shot out of her seat at what she had been just told.

No surprise, since she went to the same store every day to get her dried sweet potato chips. To hear that two tanks were in that immediate area and she had never noticed. Now she felt like a complete fool for not knowing that they were there.

"Does the Nishizumi family even have a boy," Yuzu inquired rather naively.

"That can wait!" Anzu snapped at her vice president, "Phone!" she turned on Momo and took the girl's cellphone, "This is Kadotani Anzu, report!" she barked at once into the device.

* * *

"What?" Miho's eyes were wide at what her ex was saying to her.

"_No joking here and you know it,"_ Ryo stated promptly, "_We got ourselves a pair of Cruiser Tanks,"_ there was a smile on his face, she could tell, "_An A34 Comet I tank and an A15 Cruiser Mark VI or Crusader tank."_

"That's amazing!" Miho gushed, "They would definitely lend to our power, but how they in condition?"

There was sigh and she knew there were going to be some problems, "_The Comet's been a sign, a neon sign no less, for some time and the Crusader, fortunately a later mark itself, is in rough shape, but serviceable," _she felt the pause more in her chest than anything else, "_The Comet looks like it will run just fine, after some mechanical TLC, but is clearly well cared for."_

"That is good news," Miho replied as she gently stroked the Panzer 38(t) Light Tank that Hana had led them to early after noticing the smell of the old tank.

While she spoke with Ryo, she didn't realize that she was doing so. Both Hana and Yukari saw it was a absent minded gesture, a mechanism for comfort. It was clear that being around tanks for so long, she was very comfortable with them, like most young children would be with a security blanket.

"Can it be used immediately?" Miho inquired, "So the Student Council is heading to you now to speak to the owner about acquiring both tanks."

"You think we can get them?" Yukari whispered to Hana who shrugged.

"Do you know the two?" she asked, they had heard Miho repeat A34 and A15.

"A heavy hitting Cruiser tank called the Comet and the other is an early Second World War Cruiser Tank famed for its use in North Africa," Yukari responded, "Even a Tiger has to be wary of a Comet and the Panzers Mark III and IV of later model Crusaders, the A15 tank," Yukari added as she realized she didn't tell Hana the name off the bat.

"Okay," Hana replied, feeling a little more assured.

* * *

"Are you serious?" Erwin looked at the old woman who had come to visit her friend, the old lady who technically owned the StuG III-F.

"Yes young lady, I am most serious," the old woman replied as she continued speaking, "My daughter called me about it and I saw the pipe myself, but my husband worked with pipes before and I didn't recognize the type until I saw the picture in your book there," she indicated the Identification Book the girls had been using for training as they waited for Ryo and someone named Hiro to come and help them confirm that the StuG was indeed in the pond.

"This bears investigating," Saemonza stated as she rose, surprisingly graceful, as did Oryou.

"I'll go have a look myself," Erwin stated, it wasn't like the StuG, if it was indeed there, was going any place, "We should have a look."

Caesar nodded, "Agreed," turning to the first old woman, "Please excuse us, we must look into this matter," she bowed politely.

"Of course and good luck," the woman returned the bow and the four girls were off to visit the second old woman's daughter.

* * *

The man behind the counter looked up. He was in his early 50's easily, carried the frame of an old sailor man, but the cane told why he wasn't at sea on his boat or ship. His hair was beginning to find, white streaks giving him a tiger stripe pattern. He stood hunched over at barely Hiro's height, so they guessed he once stood at easily 5'8 to 5'10.

"Hello sir," Anzu began with a bow, "We would like to talk to the owner or owners of the two tanks, the one as a sign up front and the old one out back."

"That would be me on both accounts," he walked around, his right leg missing and replaced by a battered titanium peg leg.

"Very good sir," the Student Council President bowed once more, "I am Oorai Girls High School Student Council President, Kadotoni Anzu," she rose up, "and I would like to discuss acquiring your tanks for our Sensha-do team."

The old man raised a wrinkled eyebrow, his squinting eyes cracking open to reveal fading brown orbs beneath, "So old man Acamanic is no longer around."

"Huh?" Anzu tilted her head, as Hiro and Ryo both could tell, this man had history and knowledge.

Few were ever so beaten up like he was looking.

And age had little to do with it.

* * *

"No mistaking it," Erwin smiled as they finished digging down enough to see the turret.

"A Type 1 Chi-He Medium Tank," Oryou said in awed surprised at the buried tank.

"I wonder how this happened?" Caesar spoke her thoughts allowed.

"I'm calling it in," Saemonza stated as she pulled her phone out.

* * *

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement," Anzu bowed to the old man, John Patterson, Japanese-American and raised by his NUMA father before he arrived on the _Oorai-Meiden_ to marry a Japanese woman from a wealthy family.

"Now that's the kind of arranged marriage I don't envy," Saori stated outside with Hiro and Ryo, "I'm glad they could find happiness."

"Didn't realize Sensha-do had some much hatred towards it," Hiro stated himself as he eyed his friend who was silent.

"Many try to be a mountain even as the winds of time and the waves of change press upon them," Ryo stated in a philosophical way, "Thus they doth try to be unto gods themselves and resist with ever growing desire the march that doth is time and change."

"When you get deep, I get worried," Hiro stated and Saori was surprised by Ryo's words and the fact he had performed a dance, pulling from his coveralls a Japanese fan and re-enacting a Kabuki play.

"That was surprising to say the least," Saori stated and all three looked up as Momo stepped out.

"Saemonza just called," she looked at Ryo, "Take Hiro and get Heavy Recovery Gear and the dive equipment and go to this location," she handed a piece of paper to Ryo, "There's another tank there and the next set is to another possible tank, along with a brief description."

"Hiro, take the girls and have a look, sounds like a BT-7," Ryo told his friend and the shorter boy nodded before heading off with Saori in tow to the second Jeep that carried Miho, Hana, and Yukari, "I'll get on the bounce, let's go girls," Ryo climbed into the first Jeep and the girls from the Automotive Club followed him back to the hangar bays to get the heavy lift and diving gear.

* * *

It was mid afternoon when everyone assembled. There before them sat ten tanks in all. Of that, five were immediately operational, two could be put into service in a day's time or an all nighter, but the last three, were going to need a lot of work.

Such was the find for Oorai Girls High School.

"Okay," Ryo looked at the clipboard in his hands, "Immediately operational is the M3 Lee -I still say it has to be a Grant instead-, Type 89B I-Go Otsu, Panzer 38(t), Sturmgeschütz III Ausf F with Assault Gun, and finally the Panzer Mark IV Ausf D," he concluded his report to Anzu as Hiro arrived back in a set of coveralls he brought for his new job of helping Ryo keep the tanks operational and as head of the Ordnance Department.

"What about the five other tanks?" Yuzu inquired herself, for once taking a leading point.

"The Comet and BT-7A can be restored immediately, give or take a day's time or an all nighter," Ryo checked the two's conditions off, "The Comet isn't really that badly off, just needs to be converted and the guy had all the paperwork for it, which was surprising, so we can use it immediately once restored," bringing up the BT-7's status on a seperate datapad, "The BT-7 is a Rodina make and from what we found, is actually a from Frunze Military Academy and actually served the Russian Army as a Competition tank for its official teams for both the Girls and Women's Corps."

"Can we use it then?" Yuzu asked the all important question.

"Yeah actually," indicating the paperwork sitting under a weighted image of a M-50, "It was owned by the city and the mayor had the files on hand and agreed to give us the tank, apparently only the two Parking Lot finds and the BT-7A have all their paperwork, along with the StuG III."

"And speaking about the Crusader, the other tanks?" Momo inquired, her monocle glinting dangerously.

"The Crusader is good, but the engine is completely seized up and the fluids need to be drained," Hiro checked the datapad, "The Type 1 Chi-He on the other hand was buried for an undetermined amount of time, though completely sealed, same crew as the Mark IV and to my surprise the StuG III, mud and dirt still seeped in and completely made a mess of the interior and don't get me started on the Environmental Impact Reports I had to file when it was determined that the Chi-He leaked and badly."

"Don't remind me," Anzu was getting yelled at by the Legal Department about that.

"And the lucky find we got earlier," Ryo stated as he read off the tank in question, "A SOMUA S35, extremely rare."

"Why is that?" Yuzu asked, she was taking well to learning about tanks, plus both Ryo and Hiro were proving to be a wealth of information on history as well, much to the four historical junkies delight.

"France only produced a few hundred of them before the Battle of France in 1940," Hiro began the history lesson, "Afterwards, the tank was used extensively by Axis forces, with Imperial Japan interested in acquiring some, but the events of late fall or 1942 prevented both production and the intended delivery."

"In its day, it was a very impressive tank," Yukari suddenly chimed in, "As an early example of what would become standard later, it was also well armed for a Western Allied tank of the time with its 47mm SA 35 gun, which is even bigger than the BT-7's 45mm main gun."

"That and it was well balanced and considered by some an excellent showcase for the medium class of tank for the early war period," Hiro popped right back in, "Right up there with the Panzer Mark IV Ausf D medium tank."

"As I said, we were lucky to find it," Ryo stated as he checked off the tank's history, "No papers or identification on it yet, but we did find an ID plate, mostly a dirty mess, and a Manufacturer's Plate on it, so I expect some feedback in the near future."

"Condition?" Momo inquired, it was nice to know the history, but they needed it to work.

"Frankly," Ryo looked up and saw the nod.

"It's French," Hiro threw in himself.

"Yep, three major flaws," Yukari stated, "But this one must be based on German captured units, as it has a modified turret."

"I think it might actually be an S40 instead of the S35 or one of the later war clandestine tanks that was worked on," Ryo shrugged, "It's such a mess right now, I'll be lucky to get back to you on that in a week or more."

"At the very least, we have a training tank you could say," Hiro shrugged with a grin on his face at the whole thing.

Shaking her head at the whole thing that seemed like a joke to Hiro and a side project to Ryo, Anzu made her decision, "How fast can it be restored?"

"The suspension is shot, engine we have no idea, it's leaking like a sleave, and don't get me started on the fact we have to first pry it open," Ryo stated plainly, "I'm planning on just taking the whole turret off and then the whole tank piece by piece."

"At earliest readiness then?" Anzu was tapping her foot impatiently.

Ryo sighed, he didn't want to deliver the news, "Might only be good as a statue or for its scrap metal value."

That caused the four girls to go rigid, Yukari was too interested in this tank to just let it go. The fact that Ryo was stating it was not worth repair was a lot to say the least. It just didn't seem possible, after he excitedly described the tank to them. It was probably just the history or as he worked on it, it became more clear it was just not worth any work on it.

"Well, we could also donate it or use it as an interactive history piece, but that's it," Hiro also chimed in before sighing, "Even if it was serviceable, we'd probably have to send it back to its original manufacturer and hope they could cut us a deal on it."

"That's an idea," Hana suddenly spoke as she walked over with Saori and Miho, "Why not try to find out who produced it or find someone who would like the tank restored."

"Well I do know of a manufacturing company who does Competition Tanks on the side," Hiro looked thoughtful, "It's Perry's father's company," looking over to Ryo, "You remember, the Frog with a croak in his throat."

"Don't remind me," Ryo rolled his eyes, then put his hands on his hips, "Damn ass shot me in mine first time we met, remember?"

"I do recall that pretty Persian girl wanting to be your wife too," Hiro had a look on his face that showed he was getting the joke while Ryo groaned.

"She was freaking _**NINE **_years old already!" Ryo made it clear that he was disgusted with the idea, "Besides I haven't seen her since."

"I did and she's almost twelve years old now with a bust the size of some 15 year old girls," Hiro stated plainly, clearly enjoying himself at his friend's cost.

"I said no then, I'll likely say no now," Ryo stated with a final edge in his tone, "I'm not in little girls and/or Lolis like some sick freak that needs to be dragged out into the street and shot in the head like some rabid animal," and with that, he turned and stormed off, intending to get to his paperwork, "You girls have to wash the tanks! We're fixing them, not bathing the boys!"

"Nani?!" most of the girls shouted in surprise.

"_Git yer minds outta the gutter already!"_ Ryo snapped back, before disappearing into his office, but then he stuck his head out, "And scratch the boys and you get laps!" he slammed his door closed and he could be seen getting to his paperwork.

"Wasn't that a bit too far brother?" Miho looked nervous about what had transpired.

Hiro shrugged, "Most girls think he's a pervert for that incident apparently," then walking off to inspect the ordnance himself, "Just clean up the tanks that we can fix immediately use, but don't hold back if you want to clean the rest too," he had the 'fun' job of sorting and understanding just how much usable and stable ammunition they had.

"I get it," Erwin stated with a chuckle as the blonde girl lifted her peak cap, "He wants people to find out that Ryo has a morally strong standard and abides by it."

"Explains that," Anzu admitted, she knew he had a hard side, but that had been surprising, "But he's right, lets get all ten tanks as clean as we can possibly can, okay?"

"YEAH!" all the girls were quite eager, especially Yukari.

* * *

In his office, Ryo pulled up a screen on a laptop he kept with him. On the outside of the top, it had a GP and crossed swords over a shield superimposed over the a national symbol with feathered wings embracing the whole seal. He began typing into it, sending out the relative information and data he had to another party. The party in turn responded and soon things were put into motion.

The light blue light reflected off him as he read the data being sent back and thanks to the outside party, he was able to contact Perry, the Frog with a Croak, and make arrangements for the S35 to be shipped out for actual repairs once they had all the work needed listed down.

He was also able to easily get confirmation that the Comet, BT-7, and Crusader would be immediately allowed to serve, while making inquires into the man that Patterson had called 'Acamanic' would go through fast.

He even had the name, the actual name of the man Patterson was referring to, current Japanese Conservative Leader Minamora Hideotashi.

He immediately paged Hiro on the details.

* * *

Checking his phone, Hiro only nodded, before sorting through ammunition again.

He hoped it was all stable, but the JSDF EDO team was in flight currently.

* * *

Outside of the office, the girls were doing their best to clean the tanks. More or less anyways in several cases. Ryo had stuck his head out and ordered the Prez and PR Manager to join the VP in cleaning the tanks and in swimsuits too. That had been much to their concentration, but they did so anyways and Hiro had walked into a wall at seeing both Momo and Yuzu in bikinis.

Then again, when he saw Hana in a bikini she had brought before, but never worn...

Brought a couple of years ago and never worn and was now a size or three too small.

"Hiro!" Ryo was averting his eyes, "If you so much as blow yourself up! I'm not cleaning you off the walls!"

"What a hard case," Hiro had complained before going back to work.

"And you girls switch to swim uniforms or personal swimwear and that's an order!" he could see the First Years underwear from his office and some of it was white underwear, allowing him greater view.

'_That's what Mac always complained about,' _thinking of his oldest brother, Mathrew Woodsmith and how he complained about too many girls, and boys, wearing white in his high school year and causing their school to drop one of its summer time events, '_And to think it wasn't in San Fransico either.'_

Later that afternoon, Ryo and Hiro did a spot check of the tanks. Somehow the First Years had found a way into the SOMUA and found a live snake living in it. A rather big and angry constrictor type no less. It almost swallowed Maruyama Saki if Hiro hadn't gotten there in time.

How he got there, was something only he would know. Though being short did have its advantages. Admittedly, he'd probably be shorter than a Russian tanker all his life, but it had its upsides. Like squeezing in, to grab the snake by its throat and, force it back and off the encircled girl by pure strength that was hidden in his deceptive frame and build.

Animal Control came out and took the snake into custody, though strangely, it seemed happier to go with them, than back into the SOMUA with Hiro.

The eggs would be shipped to a museum on land and the hunt was on for the mate.

"Okay," Anzu began, rubbing her forehead in her right hand, hoping nothing else happened that would be characterized as something out of an anime, "Now that that excitement is over for the day and hopefully for any more events involving us," here she got a rounding agreement from everyone before she turned to them all, her swimsuit glinting from residual moisture, "The instructor will be here tomorrow afternoon, so I'll have the time set for tomorrow, so go home, relax, and we'll meet back here tomorrow after lunch, so be on time to class now!" she smiled mischievously, "You're now representing Oorai Girls High School as its Sensha-do Team!"

"What about teams?" Oono Aya from the First Years inquired, "We haven't set them up, have we?"

Anzu made a dismissive gesture, "We decided to let you girls take the first tanks you found as a group."

Seeing her cue, Momo stepped forward, adjusting her monocle, though she hated the bikini she was wearing, it really showed off too much in her opinion, though she made it look good, "Team A will be the Panzer Mark IV Ausf D, consisting of Akiyama Yukari-san, Isuzu Hana-san, Nishizumi Miho-san, and Takebe Saori-san," Momo checked her datapad, "You'll need to find one more girl to round out your ranks, since the Mark IV is a five person tank."

"Understood," Miho nodded, figuring if this wasn't planned already as she was familiar with the type.

Except for Hana, Miho and Soari wore their standard school issue one piece swim wear while Yukari wore a two piece bright green and dark green forest camo pattern two piece made up of shorts and a respectable bikini top.

"Where did she get that?" Ryo inquired to Hiro.

A shrug from the shorter boy, "I think she might have made it."

"Very well," Hana bowed slightly in acknowledgement.

"Okay!" Saori smiled happily at being with her friends.

"YIPPEE!" Yukari was on Cloud Nine at the moment.

"After that," Momo continued on without preamble, "B Team will be the Type 89B I-Go Otsu with Isobe Noriko-san, Kondou Taeko-san, Kawanishi Shinobu-san, and Sasaki Akebi-san as crew."

"Understood," Noriko spoke up for her whole volleyball team some moisture on her red and white styled one piece that mimicked her volleyball uniform, "We will not fail! Right!" she finished with a fist pump.

"Right!" the three other girls shouted also with a fist pump wearing solid red with white stripes one pieces that also mimicked their volleyball uniforms.

"Team C shall be the Reki-jo and the StuG III Ausf F with Assault Gun," Momo read through the datapad, "Until the Comet is operation, you four will be the hard hitting team of our platoon, so no screw ups Satoko Matsumoto, aka Erwin, Nogami Takeko-san also known as Oryou, Saemonza or real name Sugiyama Kiyomi-san, and finally, our very own Caesar, Takako Suzuki," Momo was not wrong in how she addressed Erwin and Caesar as both preferred the Western style of name conventions, just like how they also dressed in their swim wear.

Caesar wore an import from Italy that looked every bit a toga styled single piece with red shoulders while Erwin also wore a single piece that was colored to mimic the Prussian Army uniform.

Both Oryou and Saemonza wore chest wrappings, colored thankfully, and loin clothes, leaving everyone wondering where they even got those.

"Team D will be made up of the First Years," Anzu suddenly cut in, "Given the size of the crew, you'll have to introduce yourselves later."

"You girls will have the M3 Lee," Ryo started, cutting in himself, "After the excitement of today, please try to relax and no worries about anymore snakes, Animal Control is on the job."

"Arigato," the First Years, dressed in their school issue one pieces, bowed, deciding it was a sound piece of advice.

Though unknown to them, Anzu was purposely skipping out on them. That way, if they felt too shaken to continue, they had the chance to opt out. No one would blame them either. Not every day you came literally face to face with potential death in the form of one irate constrictor snake protecting her nest.

"Team E is therefore, us three on the Student Council," Momo finished off, "We will be operating the Panzer 38(t) Light Tank, though meant for four, we can operate as three, it's so simple."

"Be sure to assemble promptly at the thirteenth hour of the day," Anzu finished with a smile, "That's when the new instructor, someone really cool, will show up!"

Saori was all excited, wondering what the guy would look like. She was also already off dreaming about who the awesome man would be like and how they would meet. It was kind of funny to watch the young girl just be a young girl.

For Ryo and Hiro, it was a bit painful. For Ryo, it was sad to see what could have been the attitude of one of his sisters, if not for the events of the past. And for Hiro, he saw what his family was missing, in their single minded pursuit of Sensha-do greatness.

"Everyone bow!" Momo called out and all the girls did, before they ended with a traditional saying of thank you before splitting up for the rest of the day, what was left.

"So what's for dinner?" Hiro inquired to Ryo.

"I figured Orange marinated pork, with my famous mash potatoes, a fresh salad with ranch, and Tri-Tip I had specially shipped in for just the occasion," Ryo replied with a smile.

"So BBQ steak and potatoes with beans and salad," Hiro was actually looking forward to it.

"Yeah, but the Tri-Tip should arrive tomorrow to next week, it depends," and both boys went to meet with the Automotive Club girls and get to work on the tanks, "Plus I need to pick up the oranges to make the fresh squeezed orange juice for marinating the pork, though I have enough potatoes for a month and a half."

"Won't go hungry that's for sure," Hiro was wondering if he could get the recipe for his more famous clam chowder later.

* * *

Later that evening in Miho's apartment, the girls were enjoying a meal prepared for by Saori. Though it was surprising that Yukari had camping gear with her, it was real helpful at the moment. They were also thankful for the small, if barely noticeable, flowers that Hana had tenderly arranged.

It was just one of those times that made one thankful to be alive.

"Do boys even like meat and potatoes?" Yukari inquired looking thoughtful, only for Saori to admonish her.

"Of course they do!" she declared/defended, "Why I read it in one of magazines for dating tips no less!"

"Does that even count?" Yukari made a flat face at the thought.

"Of course it does!" Saori adjusted her closes, the frames didn't cover the top of the lenses, which made replacement easier for the lenses, but it also gave her a bit of a nerdy look, "I have been working hard, so that the day I meet my destined man, I will be ready!"

Miho and Hana giggled at the by play, but Miho decided to speak up as well.

"Well, Ryo's brother Jonathan is a vegetarian, though Ryo's father loved steak and potatoes himself," Miho was able to settle the matter with that, before she placed a finger on her chin as she tilted her head up, "I wonder what Ryo likes? I recall he had a love for clam chowder as a kid himself."

"You two know each other pretty well then?" Hana indicated, causing Miho to blink and look at her new friend, "You know each other so well, you'll think you were to be married," then Hana blinked when Miho suddenly became very shy and red in the face, "Wait, you were supposed to marry each other, weren't you?"

"We were," Miho sighed unhappily, "but then it was ended when both sides of his family fell into ruin," Miho looked sadly at the food, "Afterwards, my family, the Nishizumi ended it, though that was one of the reasons that eventually caused Hiro to rebel and leave the family," suddenly gasping as she remembered, "I have to call mother and tell her now!" Miho tripped while trying to stand up in a hurry and Hana tried to help her from toppling over, but she banged her knee in the process and lost balance too which had the effect of Saori trying to stop the two from falling.

Unfortunately, Yukari had the same idea and the two crashed into one another, adding to the problem. With a shriek from each girl, they toppled over and crashed into a pile. Each groaned as they settled in quite the mess.

"At least no one will see this mess," Yukari declared from the bottom, the position of each girl was rather embarrassing.

"Miho is everything alright?" the front door was thrown open, Ryo wondering when she would remember to lock it, "We heard some scre- YEE-YOZER!"

Both Hiro and Ryo couldn't back up fast enough and close the door even faster.

"You were saying Yukari-san?" Hana held her face in her hands.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Girls und Panzer... hasn't hit the shores hit from what I know. Yet it is already developing a cult following here in the US. Something both new and clean for everyone to enjoy.**

**This is the latest project from F-14 Tomcat Lover. Hopefully, this one will actually go places. We won't know until I get to work...**

**Hopefully.**

**Additionally, the ship has been named **_**Oorai-Meiden**_ **with ship designation of CSV. Put together, it comes out as City Ship, Vessel,** _**Oorai-Meiden**_**. Meiden may not be the best translation I could dig up, but from what I can put together, just as it says when pronounced, it's Japanese for Maiden. This is based on the Japanese naming convention for ships in a variety of categories, often ending in Maru which translates as Boy.**

**Furthermore, we have a few more tanks and something is happening. This will try into the fight to keep the Oorai-Meiden from being scrapped. Already, the ship's fate has been decided, but as they say, "Fate, she is but a fickle mistress, given to flights of fancy where we do not nor when we suspect."**

**Can the addition of a few extra tanks turn the tide?**

**We'll see how the crews that fight button up would say when the bangs begin and shells fly with purpose.**

Character Data:

Name: Ryo Woodsmith

Age: 17

Birthday: November 6th, Scopio

Height: 182.8 cm

Weight: 79.9 kg

Hair: Brownish-Blonde

Eyes: Jade Green

Appearance: Tall, well muscled with heritage tanned white skin and Asian, if average, features

Hobbies: Traveling, Tanks, Books, Manga, Anime, Music, Kabuki, Folk Dances, and Taekkyeon

Grade: College Graduated with degrees in Language, Culture, and History

School: Formerly of Oceanside Boys Academy of Military Science; Intends to join Virginia Military Institute, USA as soon as he 18 years old

History:

Third son of the union between Atsugi Park Clan of Korean-Japanese and the American Woodsmith Family. He is the third of four sons and fifth of nine children to the family of Colonel Jonathan Woodsmith and Atsugi Park Min-ji. Being the son of a respected US military officer, also a Colonel of United Nations Ground Command forces, and a daughter of a respected Sensha-do School, Tiger Hidden in Flowing Water Veil.

After the decline of both families and the death of his parents, Ryo Woodsmith promised vengeance on those he considered responsible. After taking a large amount of money and the two family AFVs, he vanished. Only rumor and conjecture surround him during the years he was missing. It is known that he became a vagabond, traveling from place to place, living what he stated as a 'hobo life.' Strangely, he is noted as having graduated from college level universities with several quickly earned degrees in several fields.

He largely reappeared on the _Oorai-Meiden _in an incident that all involved parties would rather forget. Afterwards, he was accepted as the Chief Mechanic and is in charge of overseeing the maintenance and care of all tanks for Oorai Girls High School.

Strangely he is extremely knowledgeable about armored warfare and is apparently a skilled tank operator and commander. This has led to several suspicions on part by some of girls of the Oorai Sensha-do Team. Oddly, they can't see to be able to find a means to discern the exact truth on the matter even when they _find _evidence.

They have learn though, that he appears to be part of some third party faction and is highly connected with people of influence and is able to obtain just about anything the girls need for their team.

He is also the ex-fiancé of Nishizumi Miho and best friends with Nishizumi Hiro.

He has not yet been in contact with his family since his permanent arrival.

Final Note though, he is a skilled cook.

Name: Nishizumi Hiro

Age: 18 years old

Birthday: April 12th, Aries

Height: 162.6 cm

Weight: 77.7 kg

Hair: Honey Brown

Eyes: Honey Brown

Appearance: Short, muscled with typical Japanese appearance, but heavily tanned and sports tribal markings of the nomadic Kutolah Clan

Hobbies: Traveling, Tanks, Books, Manga, Anime, Music, Horse Riding, and Training

Grade: College Graduated with degrees in Language, Culture, and Engineering

School: Formerly of Oceanside Boys Academy of Military Science; Intends to go National Defense Academy of Japan or follow Ryo to VMI, USA

History:

First child and only son to Nishizumi Shiho, elder brother to Maho and Miho. He left home early after an explosive fight with his mother for a number of reasons, among his desire to study Armored Combat Engineering, her strict ways on Maho and Miho, and over the perceived abandonment of the Ryo's family. What he did during his time away from home is largely unknown, but it is known that he eventually joined the Kutolah Clan, a tribe of nomads with their own City Ship and support fleet. He is twice married, two wives at the same time including the niece of the Tribal Head. Between both women, he is the father of three children, two boys and one girl.

He achieved the warrior status within the Kutolah after preventing the destruction of the Kutolah's nomadic fleet at the hands of a cabal of bigoted Chinese businessmen from the People's Republic of China using a fleet of pirates as hired mercenaries.

During the land combat operations, and even a desperate defense of the Kutolah's city ship, _Free Winds over Water_, Hiro established himself as the leader of the Kutolah's fledging tank force.

Here he was rejoined by Ryo Woodsmith and the two have been seen regularly together after criminal elements have been crushed by an unknown tank force.

After his acceptance as a warrior of the Kutolah, Hiro was appointed as leader of their tanks. He was further honored with the hand of the Chieftain's niece and furthermore by adoption by the Chieftain as a son. Hiro is expected to be named heir of the Kutolah and to head the clan's nomadic fleet and people as well as the tanks.

Hiro is aware of who is father is, but does not speak often with the man. He is unsure if Maho and Miho are aware of who their father is. As such, he does not speak, though not to shield them, but feeling that it is their mother's place.

It is unknown why Hiro was on the Oorai-Meiden at first. After joining the group, he was hired to be the Head Ordnance Tech. Like Ryo, he is unusually skilled in tanks, though this could be attributed to his leadership of the Kutolah's tanks.

He is left alone by the girls of the Oorai Sensha-do Team. Though it is suspected more to have to do with a sudden explosion of unstable ordnance than any other reason. On the other hand, Izusu Hana seems to wish to be close to him.

Hiro is also well aware of the secrets of Ryo Woodsmith and furthermore, is an accomplished and licensed pilot of aircraft and is, himself, a college level graduate.


	2. Tanks Begin!

Assigned and Team:

Team A - Panzer Mark IV Ausf D

Team B - Type 89B I-Go Otsu

Team C - StuG III Ausf F with Assault Gun

Team D - M3 Lee

Team E - Panzer 38(t)

Team F - A15 Crusader Mark III

Team G - A34 Comet I

Unassigned:

SOMUA S35

BT-7M

Type-1 Chi-He

Reserve:

StuG IV

T-44

M24 Chaffee

A24 Black Prince

M10 Wolverine

A24 Centurion Mk I

Non-Competition:

M18 Hellcat with 90mm Main Gun

M24 Chaffee Light Tank with standard issue 75mm Main Gun

XxXxXxXxXxX

_**Girls und Panzer: Beschatten Wächter Abtrennung**_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Panzer Anfangen!**_

XxXxXxXxXxX

As the sun began to rise, the bugler once again began to sound Reveille, followed by the traditional firing of a cannon. Men stumbled out of their barracks, several cursing a storm about good dreams getting interrupted. It was just another day in the morning for the 21st Armored Brigade, United Nations Ground Command.

The feared 21st AB was on standby, pending an investigation into their previous actions. Someone had claimed that members of the 21st had been little more thugs and others had committed war crimes. So the whole brigade had been stood down and ordered to remain in base until ordered otherwise.

To the last, the complaints and accusations were absurd. The 21st Armored Brigade considered itself above that and would deal with any who broke the brigade's motto, "Innocentiae Primo, Victoria Secundo."

"Innocence First, Victory Second."

On the other hand, the 21st was also known as the 'Bloody Lances' since they were typically used in the 'Spearhead' role and believed heavily in 'Maximum Damage, Minimum Cost.'

Though today, they were getting fully reactivated.

The charges were dropped not only due to lack of evidence, but questionable sources having brought them forward. The brigade had celebrated when they learned they would be reactivated and they had a Peacemaking Mission already lined up. A pair of countries in Asia were actively engaging one another in war. The war would have been allowed to run its course, but it both saw credible war crimes being committed by both sides and it endangered a trade route for seaborne traffic.

It was the 21st AB's favorite kind of mission too.

Shoot anything that shoots back until it gets the hint or can't shoot back anymore.

As the unit began its day in preparation for deployment, the Intelligence Section received some information on their Area of Operations. It was from a friendly source that often did 'out riding' for the division. There they learned that weapons supplied were going to be largely re-tuned and militarized Tankery Competition Tanks and other relics from nearly a hundred years earlier. Though there was also a listing for some top of the line second hand weapons, mostly AK-74s, Type 56 rifles, Previous Gen RPGs, hand grenades, laptops, electronics, and other equipment, but the more noticeable were the vehicles, most were late Cold War military vehicles such as Type 80/88 Chinese Tanks and even some early model T-80 tanks.

Both sides were expected to have them and that a source could be traced back to a probable beginning in Japan. It was investigating the lead already and to expect an emergency redeployment order inside of 10 minutes of confirmation, if they were _lucky _to get so much warning.

Well, the 21st was a 'Spearhead' for a reason. They could be re-deployed almost on the dime. They were quick for a heavy unit to be redeployed. Then again, they were equipped with Protectors, a UN variant of the British made Praetor tank, based on the highly successful Centurion with a Chieftain's turret.

Still, the Protectors, as armed as they were with Thermal Sleeved Royal Ordnance L50A2 135mm main guns, would still be a superior tank overall. The tanks were also equipped with Stronghold Area Defense Systems, which provided _very _noteworthy protection against incoming. It was simply a case of taking what worked before and seeing if it could be turned into something better.

The Protector 1D was the current issue to the 21st AB and it was fast becoming a feared tank by those who committed war crimes, especially so when the 21st was in command.

XxXxX

Inside an office, the time was different from that of the UN's 21st Armored Brigade. The sole occupant looked the report over and mentally cursed as he tightened his fists. Seeing that someone had found out and leaked his business dealings to the United Nations. The only good news from the report was that the person responsible was still digging around, but there was no idea on who it could be.

Standing up the occupant moved over to a window and looked out over the city of Tokyo. It was clear that the person knew more than they were letting on and was looking to avoid a major incident. That was typical of such spy work after all. You got what you wanted with minimum fuss. At least that was how the game had been played years ago.

Now, in this day and age, where information was available through so many sources and supported by so many people, it was harder to control who had access to the game. This ran contrary to the belief they could control it easily. No there were those who would find out and leak it simply to get people's attention. This created questions and for those who valued power, questions were extremely dangerous.

Eying a city ship, a Home-type flying the UN flag that clearly marked it as the home of families of UN soldiers, the man glaring at the vessel blamed such ships. They had helped close the gap between nations and their people. A global unification was soon possible, one that _couldn't _be controlled!

Once that happened, all that was wrong in the world would be _pulled _out in _front _of the _people _of the _world_! Such careful crafting to make others more powerful -more powerful than the five **permanent **UN Security Powers _combined_!- would be undone! The world would spin into a direction of such small minded people who simply didn't understand that they existed not to be citizens, but _peasants_!

Yet, if they could do away with City Ships, they might delay it enough to take control and continue on as it was business as usual, just some

new rules, which could make the smart ones even _more _powerful.

Turning back, he saw that the _CSV Ooarai-Meiden_ was scheduled to be decommissioned and scrapped before the year was out. He had a granddaughter on that ship. He didn't care, she was there to be shown her place, a filthy unwanted _half breed_ of a worthless offspring that the sow of the mother refused to abort. She tried to be the good granddaughter to gain acceptance, only living with her father because he ordered so. Once the school closed, he would simply declare to her face what he already thought.

That she was worthless to him, always had been, because she was simply _not _Japanese!

The worst she could do to him, is join that vain attempt to restart a Sensha-dou team.

But she wouldn't, because she was going to be a proper Japanese woman.

As if!

How small minded he would later learn he was when he finally learned the truth.

XxXxX

Ryo Woodsmith was cleaning the engine parts for the Crusader that they had managed to find the previous day. He was surprised by the condition of the tank. From the outside, it looked like it would take a few days to get ready. Then he popped the hood so to speak and ran the usual analysis on the tank's hull and armor.

The Crusader was in fact in excellent condition. The only problem was that there had been a literal rat's nest in the works, among other needs that had been overlooked. He had even spoken to some girls complaining about budget problems for Track and Field. They were more than happy to lend three of their girls, three who had been injured in strange accidents last year, costing Ooarai a chance at National level competitions.

Still, since it was a Crusader Mark III, that meant that the three girls were ideal for its crew.

The first girl, who would be driver, was actually an exchange student name Branwyn Gwynedd. She was from Wales and her father happened to be a commander of a troop of the FV4070 Black Prince tanks. She had short cut reddish orange hair and blue eyes and honestly, looked liked a Welsh version of Takebe Saori. The Welsh girl, though, wore blue-green long socks in memory of late elder brother, a gift from him when he had attended Oceanside Boys Academy of Military Science, the United Nations military academy located in sunny Southern California.

Ryo remembered that black day all too well, being formerly of that school himself. Heck, Branwyn recognized him from her brother's training troop. The same went with Nishizumi Hiro who was also in the same troop. The three got along great, it helped that she was a less excitable version of Yukari and could think like Nishizumi Miho when the first shot slammed against the tank.

The only reason Branwyn wasn't in command was that her family lived by the creed 'To Lead, First Follow.'

Of the other two girls, the first was the bookish, but skilled high jumper Yamazaki Ohana. She had pigtailed brown haired and wore simple round glasses. She had soft features and an athletic build associated with high jumping. Like both Branwyn and Saori, she wore long socks, though these were green, to go with the school uniform colors. She was the commander of the Crusader and she actually came from old samurai stock herself.

The last girl was tomboyish and track runner Suzuki Tomoko. She had long legs and combined with her name, she was called Long Tom and would be the gunner in the short in height Cruiser Tank. Her appearance was boyish, but in a charming way that would gain a boy's attention if not for the fact that she was also known for kicking rather hard too. She had a boyish cut dark hair, but was a friendly girl who was addicted to anime music, especially old classic songs.

The three were getting their papers filled out, the Japanese loved their paperwork more than the Germans did. At least in his experience, but whereas it was a matter of documentation on the German end, for the Japanese, it sometimes felt territorial to him. Like they had to defend on who would sign off for the toilet paper. Well, Anzu didn't run that kind of operation, in fact, she hated such heavily controlled ways.

'_It feels like you got to be a diplomat just to request as simple as a report,'_ Ryo thought, he had never liked how Japanese business was done.

Though cheap, he often wondered if the market wasn't just kept their artificially, he knew the Japanese could produce some good products. Though at times it always felt to him that they were making up for something. One of his grandfathers thought it might have been the defeat of Imperial Japan during the Second World War.

'_Not that it matters to me,'_ Ryo thought as heard multiple steps approaching, one sounded like Kadotani Anzu, Student President and flanking her as usual was Kawashima Momo, PR Manager and Vice President Koyama Yuzu, '_Japan is what it is, but that can always change just as the ever present-'_

"These are... tanks?" the demure tone of a girl made it clear that she was not too happy to be in the hangar area.

"This is the maintenance area and is off limits to all, but mechanics unless otherwise authorized by the Chief Mechanic," Ryo rolled out from under the raised Crusader, covered in muck and gunk from his maintenance of the tank, he could see the girls that had assembled, though he rolled out right under Momo, but the girl was prepared with a pair of shorts on under her skirt, "Missy Kawashima, what I have said about being so closed to tanks?"

The light glinting off her monocle, "What have I said about calling me Missy?"

"I can't call you by Koyama-san's favorite nickname, can I?" he looked oh so innocent, that he barely got back under the tank before her foot came down, _hard_.

"Get back out from under there now Chief Woodsmith!" Momo promptly went into one of her fuming angry moments as she tried to reach under and yank Ryo out.

Ryo on the other hand simply walked around the tank and stood trying to hold in his laughter, but he was shaking like a building in a quake.

He actually had to hold onto the side of the tank as Momo was halfway under the AFV trying to find him. He hopped up and sat on an oil drum as she screamed and ranted at him to come out and face her like a man. Then she was completely under the tank only to spot his work board carefully placed to the side.

"He's sitting on an oil drum, isn't he?" Momo asked and Ryo fell off the drum laughing so hard he was having problems breathing and began to choke as he gasped for air, tears in his eyes as he laughed so hard clutching his sides even as Momo pulled herself out from under the tank and looked like she had been servicing it instead, which only made Anzu and Yuzu, who had been trying so hard, break out laughing too.

Ten minutes later and Ryo having a slight limp as he favored his right shin, they were assembled outside the Maintenance Bay as Momo stormed off to get a shower and a clean uniform.

There were five in all, as he was expecting. In the lead seemed to be a girl that had all the desperation of wanting to please. It was as James Patterson had told them. Well, it was time to see if they couldn't correct that. After all, nothing couldn't be fixed with a right amount of explosive power.

In this case, the explosive power being that of a tank.

'_Time to fix,'_ Ryo thought in a mechanic's way, "You get a warning today since you don't seem to be the M3 crew and are with President Kadotani, but I'll warn ya here and now that if yer in _my _Maintenance Bay without permission, it better be damn important!"

"F-forgive us sir," the ladies bowed as one, oh yeah, proper young ladies, build up and then destroy kind, just how Ryo hated it, "We were told that we would be joining the Sensha-dou Team under Kadotoni-sempai, no one mention a male being in charged."

"That's cause I ain't," Ryo stated, before indicating Anzu, "Save for the maintenance bay and the tanks when they're left to me for care and upkeep Kadotani Anzu-dono will be in charge because she's the President and largely in charge to begin with," lifting his work goggles up, too many times of something best left undescribed finding his eyes, and pulling a rag to wipe his hands with, "The name's Ryo Woodsmith, but if yer signing on that's Chief Woodsmith to everyone but a few," he indicated off to the lone row of buildings, "That's where yer find the Chief Ordnance Tech, Nishizumi Hiro, and that's his realm and you listen to him on _all _matters when it comes to ordnance, this is real deal ammunition we're using," he put his rag away, "One small misstep and they'll be finding what's left of ya with a microscope, understood?"

He got a chorus of acknowledgements. Ryo knew that only the one girl in the middle was Jaina Patterson, James Patterson's daughter. She had the appearance of a proper Japanese girl from some bygone era or thereabouts with long grey hair, whether natural or some other reason was beyond him. She had ocean blue eyes that were carefully guarded and shielded yet attentive to him, more so than he would think.

In fact, each girl had something about them that seemed the same. No surprise as each of the other four girls had Mister Patterson as their guardian and all shared the same form of background, just the specifics were different. James Patterson was trying his best for each one, since each was the illegitimate granddaughter of a major mover and shaker of a Japanese government official, all Conservatives no less.

'_Best place for a crook to hide,' _Ryo thought in annoyance, '_As a Conservative since who would go looking after a crook who only holds up traditional values,' _Ryo knew otherwise.

It was why the United States of America was led by either the Nationalists or the Constitutionalists.

The Republicans had been voted out of power and then argued so bitterly amongst themselves that they self-destructed, good riddance.

The Democrats had forgotten to maintain a core strength and became so off the walls as a coalition, that it too self-destructed only 10 years later, quite the loss.

Yet as he refocused on the key fact, that Patterson didn't have long to live though, so he had cut a deal with them. He wanted the girls to be as independent as he could make them. But they had been poisoned against him and against the thoughts of independence by those who would control them. These weren't young teenage girls before Ryo, but embarrassments that had some worth as tools for greater power.

"The madam Prez is currently overseeing you and the only reason she brought you to me, is so I'll give you the nickel tour until she's available again to take the lead and that tour starts with yer tank," Ryo's demeanor changed, switching to a guy who was no nonsense and serious,

"_This_ is the Tank Maintenance Bay," he indicated the buildings that had a couple of the tanks in them, the Crusader and the SOMUA to be exact, "Don't ask me why it's called a bay when it doesn't look like a bay," the girls only nodded as he took in the five.

Each was wearing their uniform correctly, but with the optional long skirts as well as high length socks. He couldn't tell since they ran under the hems and wasn't about to pull one up to have a look see. For one thing, he had a reputation to rebuild, a second it was wrong, and third, he was simply not like that. He did notice that they intelligently studied the building, too intelligently in his mind.

"Now over here we have the Ordnance Magazine, also known as the Ammo Bunker," he indicated the said ammo bunker, "_That_ I'll leave for Tech Nishizumi to explain, for safety reasons," an explosion just outside the bunker with a small mushroom cloud forming before it curled and began to fade, "He's sorting our ammo, separating good from bad so we don't have accidents," another explosion, more distant though the smoke from it was visible, "That's the JGSDF EOD team dealing with unexploded ordnance from when the school shut down the Sensha-do program," the girls shared nervous looks, "No worries, whoever directed the shutdown, did it half ass and that person is lucky no one has been killed..." stopping briefly, "To our knowledge at least."

"Why are they lucky?" one girl asked, looking curious.

"It borders on a Murder One Charge or Homicide in the language of law and order," Ryo waved it off even as the girls gasped, "For now, they're looking at 20 years in a medium class prison with parole in 10 years for good behavior."

"That serious?" another girl tilted her head in curiousity.

Ryo only nodded before indicating for them to move. He then led them over to where a tank sat. The tank was laid out in a flat style. Flat back, flat sides, it was low set, and the turret looked flat with a rounded back. It was clean and looked to have been cared for during the time since its purchase.

"This will be your tank," Ryo stated with voice like an officer speaking, "Due to our current state, I'm currently acting as second in command under PR Manager Kawashima Momo-dono and she takes her orders from the President Kadotani Anzu-dono," he turned on his heel in a way that would make a boot camp drill sergeant proud, "Until you are informed otherwise, I'm in the chain of command when in base, understood?"

The girls didn't know how to respond. True they had been raised to answer yes promptly when a man spoke, but this male before, hardly older than them, spoke differently. It was like to him, they weren't females, but something else entirely different and expected different things from them.

It scared them, but they did as told, they obediently confirmed his words.

Grunting and turning to present the tank to them, "_This_ is the Comet I, designated A34 Cruiser Tank. _This _is the vehicle that led to the development of the Centurion, the most successful Cruiser Tank ever produced and later designated as a Main Battle Tank. It is equipped with a single main gun of a variant of the legendary 17 pounder Anti-Tank Gun that is referred to as the 77mm HV or High Velocity even though it is still really just a 76.2mm gun. The weight is also a reference not to the gun, but the weight of shot. Additionally it is also equipped with two Besa 7.92mm machine guns, one coaxial to the main gun and the other in the hull," the girls were absorbing what he was saying,

"The Comet's armor is only 4 inches, or 102 millimeters, thick at its maximum point, which is at the front of the tank," he patted the front of the tank, "Now, today, tanks have thickness pretty much equal all round for increased survivability, but not in those days when communications could take up to weeks to get some place in a hurry."

"Why would that matter?" another girl asked, looking genuinely curious as Ryo nodded at her question.

"Good question," he indicated the tank's radio aerials, "These are the radio aerials, in their heyday, one of the best in the world, but now hopelessly obsolete thanks to more technology advancements," he stopped for a moment, "Can you tell me why there is a difference between the Comet's radio compared to the Cell Phones most people now use?"

The girls looked confused and unsure how to answer. They spoke amongst one another for a few moments. Then one dared an answer.

"Because of the use of Rare Earth Elements?"

Ryo smiled brightly at the answer, "Finally! Someone who can answer that question correctly!" he beamed at her and her group who looked surprised, but also glad to have gotten it right.

"Rare Earth Elements did not have much use or even were generally known to many during the time of the Comet," Ryo began his lecture, "As such, the communications were built, along with everything in those days, without it," he then indicated the school, "Today though, the school alone has more Rare Earth Elements in it than entire nations had until the end of the 20th Century," he then turned back to girls, showing how please he was to discuss that topic, "Rare Earth Elements are important in everything we do, from such basics as communication and medical care to things such as space exploration and even this ship uses considerable amounts of Rare Earth Elements, from everyday life to the ship's very power core and support structure," Ryo took a look at the sun, "I'll have to cut this short, but Rare Earth Elements are what make the world go round and allows us to even begin putting old fossil fuels to the side in favor of more advance and clean energy sources like the electric cars we use to go about the ship or land or even in the engines of our tanks since, let's face it, gas and diesel fuel do catch fire quickly and explode."

"I had no idea that Rare Earth Elements were that valuable," the girls were talking amongst themselves, but Ryo wasn't surprised, even now, late into the middle of the 21st Century, most didn't know, though he had hoped for a laugh at his little ending joke.

He sighed and let them chat for a few before telling them to mount their tank. All he got was some blushes that made tomatoes look bleach white.

"NOT THAT KIND OF MOUNT!" he shouted loud enough to be heard by the approaching girls of the other tanks and even in a couple of classes, "I MEANT CLIMB UP ON THE TANK SO I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT DOES WHAT AND HOW IT WORKS!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

All the girls stood in lines before their tanks. Ryo had worked with the new girls, he secretly called Patterson's Troop, and they were up to snuff on their tank. Well, as well as could be expected short of Nishizumi Miho, Branwyn, and a couple of the others from the looks of things.

Each tank was polished and ready to serve. The guns gleamed as did the armor plates. The tanks themselves looked more than eager to roll into action once more. They were being prepared for what their lives were meant for.

To do battle and bring honor to their crews and home.

But even they looked a bit annoyed at the moment.

"O-kay... Where's the instructor?" Hiro complained from his spot, sitting with his feet up in one of the Jeeps as he read a magazine on the latest battlefronts opening up in Asia, "Looks like the Bloody Lances are back in action," the tribal warrior stated off handily, "Looks like an outrider sent them some intelligence if I'm reading how they're winning right."

Ryo was going over the list of who was in the 'troop' that they had. Really, it qualified as barely two platoons of tanks. It was that small, that he even wondered if calling it a 'troop' was accurate.

He then brought up the M3 Lee's crew:

Commander: Sawa Azusa, she seemed the leader of the all the First Years and though she was shaky at the moment, she seemed like the kind that would be a good leader, a mother like presence and would likely be a good mother some day.

Driver: Sakaguchi Karina, she was the driver, he knew practically nothing about her, like all the First Years, no previous experience.

Radio Operator: Utsugi Yūki, the communications girl of the group of First Years, seems like a frightened rabbit, then again, they all did.

Main Gun Operator: Yamagō Ayumi, this First Year seemed had decided to load and operate the M3's 75mm main gun, but Ryo had his doubts about her ability to handle both tasks.

Loader, Secondary Gun: Maruyama Saki, the fifth of the six First Years, she loaded the secondary, turret mounted 37mm gun.

Gunner, Secondary Gun: Ōno Aya, the last of the First Years, she seemed bright enough to operate the 37mm Secondary Gun in the turret and, if he wasn't mistaken, she also controlled the co-axial .30 Browning MMG.

That was the crew for the M3 Lee, though he was certain it was a late war variant. The M3 was pretty much stock, but it was missing the copula machine gun. So if that was a case, it had to be a post-1943 variant or it had simply been removed. Since after they were withdrawn from North Africa, they were sent to fight in the Pacific and CBI Theaters.

He then brought up the list for the A34 Comet's crew:

All positions: Undecided, why wasn't he surprised.

Crew members:

Jaina Patterson, long grey hair, natural he found out. She was a lot like Hana, only more of the stereotypical Japanese Housewife of a noble lord. She was learning everything to be a proper housewife. Sewing, cooking, even classes on child raising, which had its funding cut since there wasn't a teacher for it this year and no one else qualified. She had the very Asian build and appearance, but the features were definitely from the West, such as her ocean blue eye color.

Her name was even addressed in the Western Format, something that was most telling in the Asian culture of family name before personal name.

Goto Haruna: Typical of Japanese appearance and appeared and dressed the same as Jaina, nothing stands out about her, save for rare gold colored eyes. Ryo had looked in on that at Anzu's insistence and he discovered that her mother had suffered a near fatal poisoning during the pregnancy period. It was the end result of contaminated water. The cause was a Japanese merchantman sunk by US Naval Air Attacks late in the Second World War. The merchantman had been carrying Chemical Weapons for deployment against Allied Forces during the latter stages of the war. It had, since its discovery, been cleaned up and the old disposal facilities on Johnston Island reactivated to dispose of the old stock of inhuman death and pain.

Everyone was breathing a clear sign of relief at that, but at the same time, Haruna had been a lucky one. Only the gold eyes gave away how close to never being born she had come.

Arai Rei: An albino girl, more from the fact she is rather sickly, than by genetics. He was unsure about her being in a tank to begin with. Something about her sickly nature though was clearly off. The girl had been able to climb onto the Comet quite easily on her own ,after he had gotten on all fours to be allowed to be used as a stepping board though. Her stances told him that her body was healthy and she was able to actually lift one of the 17-pdr rounds with only slight trouble. He had Anzu put in a special request for her medical file, as the school was being denied.

He contacted the ship's police about the matter as a back up and they would acquire and pass on the medical file if they were denied.

Like Jaina and Haruna, she had long hair, typical Japanese black, but her facial features showed a mixed heritage. He guessed she had Vietnamese blood in her as she mentioned her mother's original name before the marriage to Rei's Japanese father.

Watanabe Momoko: She was the shortest one in the group, only taller than Anzu. She also had a reddish sheen to her hair and Branwyn apparently knew her. Ryo had pulled her to the side and found out that Momoko was a cousin of her's. Apparently she had an aunt who worked at the British Embassy and wrote home about having a daughter with a Japanese government official. She had left the country and brought the girl with her, but neither had arrived in Wales. The only give away about Momoko was the hair sheen and a birthmark that Branwyn had seen in the Locker Room the day of the incident involving Ryo himself.

Ryo had been forced to keep quiet, but he still had to inform Anzu. Branwyn did so instead, saying it was her place. Ryo, though, discreetly informed the local police to contact Scotland Yard and INTERPOL on the matter.

Imai Inoue: The last girl of the five. She wore simple wired frame glasses and accented Japanese beauty from an Anime or Manga. She was also also the tallest, about Hana's height give or take. Like Hana, she brought out exactly what a traditional girl of Japan would appear, but taken to an extreme. She was very demure and for whatever reason, she especially reminded Ryo and Hiro of an action Sun Tzu had done to prove his military prowess.

Though, when Ryo had been showing them the Comet, she kept a strong eye on the tank's main gun. Hiro suspected, when told, that she was probably more like Hana than she appeared.

That was the crew of the Comet. He already had the Loader, Gunner, and Driver pegged of the five. So Radio Operator and Commander were all that was left. But that would matter later on.

"Is that a C-2 I hear?" Hiro lifted his Crush Hat up and Ryo did the same to see the gleaming white body and red tip wings of a C-2D Japanese ASDF heavy lifter coming in.

The heavy lifter was low and slow. Which told anyone two things. It was doing that by design and preparing to drop something in the process.

"Aw hell! Not her!" Hiro shouted in disbelief at the thought of just who would be crazy enough to pull that kind of stunt off.

And sure enough, after the Type 10 was dropped from the plane, the C-2 powered up and flew back to its base in Japan. The Type 10 on the other hand slid, fast and hard despite the drag chutes, right into a nice looking red car. The car was flipped and thrown on impact, but it somehow helped to rob what was left of the Type 10's momentum as the pallet it was on turned to an awkward angle.

"Isn't that the Headmaster's car?!" Yuzu looked completely dumbfounded and shocked at the sight.

"Now _that's_ an entrance," Anzu remarked chewing on her chips.

The look on Yuzu's face changed to abject horror after the tie downs disengaged and the Type-10 backed up, crunching and crushing the car beneath it's treads.

"Want a chip?" Anzu offered instead, but Yuzu could only stare in shock, though Erwin took the offered food stuff.

The tank then rolled at a fair clip to stop suddenly right before the assembled girls. The automatic hatch opening on command from inside as the crew shut down the tank. To their surprise, only one hatch opened and only one person climbed out, wearing a standard issue helmet and the standard green JGSDF Female Dress Uniform.

"Dammit! I was right," Hiro groused in dread and Ryo thought it looked funny.

The woman had surprisingly, blue eyes and white skin, but was otherwise Japanese. Ryo wondered if she was from one of the major trade towns or base towns that had either US or, especially as of late, British or UN troops in them.

"Hey there!" the woman called from her tank and Ryo noted the special patch of Sensha-dou instruction.

"So she learned under your mother, huh," Ryo could only remark as the girls stood dumbly.

"MY CAR!?" came a sudden shout.

"Eh?" the woman blinked.

"So much like her," Hiro was making himself as small as possible.

XxXxXxXxX

After the mess with the car had been sorted out, the decision was made to simply be thankful that the headmaster had Tank Coverage -for whatever reason-, the tank classes could finally begin.

Stepping up in front of the class, looking excited and Ryo having to remark just how hot the woman looked, the class introductions were about to begin.

"She tricked me," Saori remarked with a bummed expression.

"She does look pretty cool," Hana tried to cheer her friend up.

Momo began the introduction.

"She's the special instructor Sensha-dou-torēninguyunitto, Captain Chono Ami."

"Nice to meet you all," Captain Chono began speaking, sounding excited, "I heard there were a lot of people doing Sensha-dou for the first time, but let's do our best," she scanned the gathering of girls, then her eyes rested on Nishizumi Miho by chance, "Wait? Aren't you the second daughter of Instructor Nishizumi?" the JGSDF captain then approached Miho and nodded, it was her, "I'm surprised to you see you here," a few memories came back to her as she smiled down at Miho, "The Instructor has done much for me and I'm thankful to her," she closed her eyes smiling as she tilted her head a bit, "Is your sister doing well?" then she opened her eyes as her expression changed to one of annoyance, "What of the troublesome brother of yours! I hope he's been in contact," she grounded her teeth, "I swear if he hasn't informed you he's the commander of the Kutolah tank force, I swear I'll beat him senseless!"

Over in his seat, Hiro made himself smaller than Anzu.

Miho looked taken back by how forward the woman was and then nervously looked down, "Um, yes," she answered shyly, as Hiro slid himself out of the jeep and tried to hide.

"Instructor Nishizumi?" someone questioned in surprise.

"She's famous?" another asked.

"The Nishizumi School is the Sensha-do-ryu with the longest history out of all the Sensha-dou-ryu, dating back to before the Greater East Asian War," Captain Chono lectured the girls impressing them, though Miho felt sadden instead.

So, seeing her friend, Saori was quick to ask her burning question in order to deflect attention.

"Instructor!" the ginger haired girl raised her hand, "Are you popular with boys?"

Chono could only blink, "Huh?" as she closed her eyes in thought, missing how Miho turned her head to glance, slightly dumbstruck by her friend's actions.

After a few moments of thought, the new instructor opened her eyes and stared at Saori, "I wouldn't say that I'm popular, so much as I always hit what I aim for," she brought a close fist up next to her face, "I have a kill rate of 120 percent."

The girls weren't the only one impressed by that as Ryo blinked at hearing that.

'_That means overpenetration!' _his thoughts were on the available data for a Type-15 MBT, which according to all official data, was specifically design to avoid that by using specialized rounds that the current government had been touting, '_Even _if _the case isn't over penetration, that would mean higher than above average reflexes and naturally innate gunnery skills,' _Ryo knew that was possible, Jaeger and Monty did both regularly themselves, '_That explains the marksmanship awards and the fact she has overseas deployment awards, including the Operation TOWNHOUSE Participation Medal.'_

Ryo hadn't failed to noticed the fruit salad she wore. There were combat awards and participation medals. He had heard of a Japanese Type 10A5 that had seen action in Africa that had single handedly killed an 'OpFor' Brigade of T-72 and Type-80 MBTs. The rumor mill had said it was Sensha-dou woman who had pulled the feat off, but they were rare in deployment from nations outside of America, Europe, and Russia. Though the Korean Army was starting to deploy them more regularly and the UN had many women in its combat ranks.

"Instructor!" Akiyama Yukari raised her hand next, eagerly so, "What will we practice today?"

The woman instructor only smiled before speaking, "Let's see..." she paused in thought, "How about we throw you girls into your tanks and try a real mock battle."

'_Sink or swim?!'_ Ryo was surprised, since half the girls didn't know a starter or a clutch from a suspender or a bodice, 'That _is _gutsy_, but it will force them to adapt in response.'_

Hiro sighed, figuring that was her from start to finish. His mother was somewhat the same he was told. He couldn't see it and if Maho and Miho were anything to go by, neither did they. Then again, she had been in charge of the school for so long, with such a long winning streak, it shouldn't surprise him that she preferred order and discipline to ebb and flow techniques.

Chono Ami, though, had decided to teach differently.

The girls were surprised, not so much shocked, but surprised. Yuzu commented on if the instructor was sure, but Ryo figured they'd do fine.

After all, the Volleyball girls had spunk and eagerness going for them, the First Years could get the information easily enough, and aside from Teams A, F, and G, the rest had some knowledge on how to at least get their tanks moving.

The JGSDF Captain even stated it was rather simple what she wanted them to do. It would be a good way to gain experience as well. It would, also, allow her to secretly see what their learning curve would be like and what she needs to begin addressing right away.

"So who do I turn to for information on our tanks?" Captain Chono looked around the girls and then spotted a jumpsuited figure off to the side.

She turned to note the tall, obviously male, who held a datapad in his hands. He wore a Crush Hat on his head, but she could see that he had brownish-blonde hair, though his eyebrows were a stark blonde. She couldn't see his face too well, as he was staring down at his datapad, taking care of things.

He then seemed to say something. Then he repeated it in annoyed tone. Finally he turned to yell at the person he was trying to speak to.

"Hiro put that mag- eh?" the captain chose to walk over as the teenage boy, from his tone, seemed confused, "Hey! Hiro! Where'd you get to?" he called out for his friend as the captain stopped in mid-stride, "I swear," the mechanic shook his head.

Chono Ami practically fast ran in a march over to near one of the tanks and reached over...

"CRAP!"

... and pulled Hiro out from hiding just as he was about to escape to behind the buildings and then off the grounds.

"Hello Nishizumi Hiro-kun," the captain greeted menacingly at the smaller male and with a too serene smile on her face.

"Already spoke!" Hiro tried to defend himself, she was able to hold him so high up, despite being only so much taller than him, so that his feet dangled with a good bit of air beneath them, "I mean!" he saw her expression begin to shift, "I'm the Ordnance Tech! Miho and I spent time catching up! I even told her I'm married too!" then Hiro's tanned face went bleach white while Ami's face became hard and began to turn purple, "I mean I did let them know I would likely have a chance at getting married, but you know how it goes, I barely had been able to set time aside to be there for the birth of my kids! Ack!" he realized what he said, "I mean! I tried to write, but one pirate group after another just had to step up!" he was getting desperate now, "Then we had Chinese Bigots, then after that I had to help stop a coup in Korea, then there was that mess in South America, almost got Malaria when I was there, and then one thing after another again, I mean I was pretty much disowned, wasn't I?!" he stated at the end and the woman dropped him onto his feet and Hiro looked up in surprise, "She didn't did she?" his tone was weak and he sounded very weak.

"Almost, almost," the woman admitted sadly, "Only your father's intervention prevented that or so I heard," there was a sigh, "I don't know her as well I used too, but if I'm gonna teach her daughter, then I have to do a good job to remind her why she loved Sensha-dou so much herself!"

The way the seemingly excitable woman looked with her fist held up before her as she made her declaration, worried both Hiro and Miho.

"Well..." Ryo was chuckling behind his datapad, "all I need is drink and food and I got lunch and a show," he chuckled even louder as he dodged the wrench that 'fell' out of Hiro's coveralls and into his hand and happen to start flying his way.

"That almost sounded like a declaration of love," Saori whispered to Hana, their backs turned to the display and slightly bent forward.

Then a pair of small tools struck both in their bottoms.

"ITEI!" both jumped up in surprise and pain.

Sighing, his merriment now gone, "You do know that wasn't much of a conspiratorial whisper there," Ryo sighed at both looking like caught little children with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Into your tanks _now_!" Chono Ami shouted as the instructor of these girls and watched as they all scrambled to their assigned armor and began to board while discussing how they were going to operate their tanks, "Teams with three people will have the Driver, Gunner, and Commander!" the captain stated as she began to feel excited again about the thought of teaching these girls the passion of tanks, "Teams with four will also have a Loader, while a team of five will also have a Radio Operator."

"What about us?" Azusa inquired waving her hand to indicated the M3 Crew, "We have six people in our team?"

Captain Chono was about to explain when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Ryo pointing at himself and then the M3 and its crew. The woman smiled and nodded, allowing him to step up and explain. She was curious just what this male might know about tanks.

"The M3 Lee and Grant variant of the the M3 Medium, both had a normal crew of six or seven," Ryo explained loud enough for all the girls in the hanger and tanks to hear him, "They had two Loaders, one for the hull mounted 75mm gun and the other for the turret mounted 37mm gun, if there was room," the First Years, aside from being girls, were also Japanese and the M3 was built with tall farmboy and streetwise Americans in mind, as was most American equipment of the time, "The M3 was built by the United States of America and used largely by the Allies, even the Soviet Army used the M3, even though the Red Army has height restrictions, American tanks were known for being 'roomy' by anyone's standards and especially so in Asia, except early tanks and Light Tanks prior to the M24 Chaffee which were generally roomy only for Asians," Ryo had once climbed into a M5 Stuart II, he wouldn't be doing that again, ever, "Available crew and their height were deciding factors."

"Is that all?" the captain asked, looking sly.

"There is also the fact that modifications were made," Ryo stated, continuing the lecture, "The Radio Operator position was eliminated and given to the Driver, this allowed one fewer person in the tank, leaving a pair of Loaders and Gunners, Commander, and Driver to handle the tank's functions," the First Years were looking rather well pleased with themselves, "Overall, for an interim tank, it did well in this role, smashing Panzer IIIs and IVs in North Africa and shocking the Afrika Korps and soldiering on successfully in the Pacific and CBI Theaters, ironically tearing up Japanese tanks and fortifications," he then shrugged, "But the issue of spalling or rivets being broken loose on shell impact to bounce around like shrapnel," the First Years were startled at that, "Coupled with the high design, placement of the main armament, and a few other issues were problems, though most problems were minor and/or resolved as time went by, though the Russians did add the nickname of Grob iz shesti brat'yev or 'Coffin of Six Brothers,' though in this case it seems that Grob shest' sester or 'Coffin of the Six Sisters' is better put, to the M3 Medium Tanks."

Now the First Years looked panicky about their tank.

"Though no worries, the hatches may open on the side, they can be welded shut later which did happen, but the hull is largely welded on the inside, the rivets are largely for show," Ryo added after a moment, "Plus this isn't combat rated ammunition, so it wouldn't be so dangerous, though there were concerns as we looked it over, but it is otherwise fine and sound, quite safer than the Panzer 38(t) or StuG III since it was in shelter all this time."

"WHAT?!" the two said tanks' crews shouted in unison.

"Well, it _was _in a _storage _place, kept from the elements," Ryo stated plainly, "But hey, no worries, or I'll have you out there in a halftrack or a Universal Carrier equipped with a 57mm instead and 2-pdr respectfully."

"You call that encouragement!" Momo looked about ready to chase him, but Chono only laughed loudly as she stepped forward.

"That's why we need to get you some starting experience now," the instructor indicated their tanks, "Even with this motley collection you could go all the way and win the International Finals easily against even better funded and equipped schools with just the _right _tactics after all."

The girls just nodded, wondering how much difference they would really get with just tactics, but Chono wasn't done yet.

"With time and experience, you'll be able to do much quite easily," then indicating the tanks again, "We may even be able to upgrade them with different equipment that might not have otherwise been given to these tanks when they first appear," she smiled as she clapped her hands and made a get moving motion with her hands, "It just so happens that such modifications are simply not done, but are not illegal as long as they fall within the established guidelines for safety and limitations on the equipment and technology used."

"Seriously?" Hiro walked up to her in surprise and Ami just nodded with a smile on her face, "Excellent!" Hiro jumped up and clicked his heels together.

"What's got you all excited?" Anzu looked surprised at the boy's sudden action of joy.

"I found some extra gun barrels in the Ordnance Building," Hiro's smile nearly split his face in two, "Not many, but they're definitely a few steps up!"

"Such as?" Ryo gave him a flat look.

And Hiro smiled wider, "How about a few extra 6-pdr guns fancy you?"

Ryo raised an eyebrow as he ran that through his head. They could swap out the BT-7's 45mm for a 6-pdr and if there was enough barrels, they could do the same for the Type 89B as well. In fact, switching out the Type 89B's 57mm for a 6-pdr was a _very _good idea. The 6-pdr was a 57mm gun as well, though it was a 57mm built for killing _tanks_. He was concerned on the other hand that there might be some loss of room in the turret, but not too much and they could potentially swap the turret too if what was said was true.

Such field modification could have occurred for all they know, but no one recorded them or lived to do so. It wasn't uncommon for tank teams to swap out weapons. Heck, the Israeli M-50 tanks were simply M4 Shermans given a French version of the 7.5cm PaK 43 and essentially underwent a Firefly upgrade with that gun. Under a technicality of that, they could make their own M-50 with a 7.5cm PaK 43 if they ever got a Sherman and the gun.

It would be more a matter of cost.

"We can discuss design modifications later," the captain clapped her hands, "For now, practical training experience to start things off, okay? Good!" she made a shooing gesture before going on about various facts about the tanks and what they needed to do.

The woman also passed out various maps to each team, though she was hesitant with Team G. The Comet crew seemed to immediately put her on edge, before she looked them over. Then she handed over a map and indicated for where they were to go. She was clearly not happy with that team, but she was willing to give them a shot.

Give or take how well they could shot in the first place.

Then with girls figuring out to get their tanks turned over and brought to life, it was somewhat comical as Ryo and Hiro listened in over the radio set in the observation tower.

"Alright then?" Chono nodded as the tanks began to rumble out and on the move, "Then all units..." she paused for effect, "_Panzer Vor!"_

"_**Panties fall!?"**_ a few girls suddenly shouted in horrified shock.

And off the tanks went...

… About 15 minutes later.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ten minutes later...

"Tell me that they did not just use Volleyball Speak to describe their actions," Ryo stated in disbelief even as Ami giggled at the various reports and commands.

"You think that's crazy," Hiro spoke up, "Listen to the StuG crew," Hiro shook his head, "How can they think that they could pull a Pinwheel Attack off in a StuG and by themselves is beyond me."

Ryo made a frown, that was one tactic he couldn't recall, "Just what is a Pinwheel Attack anyway?"

"Search me," Hiro switched to Team F's frequency, "Well the Crusader team is doing well, as expected."

Ryo was searching out the First Years and found it wasn't too hard as he sighed, "Those girls didn't secure their radio frequencies," he pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance, "Plus they got the receiver set to low power."

"Team E is secured and at their location," Hiro stated, suddenly serious as he went through the frequencies, "Team G is also in place and ready, Team F has arrived and is securing themselves for further orders," the practice match was set to begin sooner than they thought.

"Team A is incommunicado," Ryo stated, "Probably forgot to check their radio and turn it on, but they are short a person," looking up at the digital TACMAP, "but they have reached their designated spot and- ah there! Team A is secured, radio on now,and secured as well," he checked the others, "Teams B and C have arrived and are standing by."

Captain Chono nodded as she watched the girls from the Automobile Club plot the locations of each team on a Plot Board. It didn't take long for Teams A through G to finally reach their designated points in fact. She was honestly surprised that Team G had arrived so quickly. They were clearly fast learners it would seem and highly intelligent, perhaps too intelligent and she guessed that the two boys agreed with her on that.

"All tanks positioned and standing by," Hiro reported to her as he was no longer slouched over, trying to listen in, he stood by with a professionalism that surprised the woman.

"Team A has their radio set to on and at normal strength, secured too," Ryo reported again after getting some white noise, "Team D has their radio up to normal strength and secured at last too," he sighed, what a troubling bunch.

"Whose your money on?" Hiro suddenly asked Ryo.

"If it was different, Team A, but F has a good chance," Ryo leaned back in thought, stretching his arms and popping his back against the back of his seat, "G also might be worth mentioning, but yeah, safe and even money on A, possibly F."

"So 50, 30, 15, and then broken up among the rest, ouch," Hiro already wrote off Teams C and E.

Team C he wrote off, though they had what it would take and had ideas about strategy, they were also clearly amateurs who would waste energy with historical phrases and other rookie mistakes.

As for Team E, he figured that Momo was too hot on the gun, too eager for the kill, and Anzu was too lazy to reel her in, but Hiro figured it had more to do with the fact they wanted to pressure Miho into command of the tanks.

Seriously, the idea of drawing lots was intelligent, but it was clear that Hana, like Miho, was just plain bad at driving in combat and hoped they found someone else as they would have budget problems next time if they _did _go through a wall or the armored doors. Saori was quick to get excited and prone to making rash choices and, frankly, was quite the talker. Only Yukari knew her limits and that she was quick to want to try things out, for such an excitable girl, she was more cool headed than Saori.

Actually, now that Hiro thought about it, Miho had told him about the Tank Store. Ryo, after he had been informed, had sent the girls from the Automotive Club there with a list of what to get. If it was a real tank parts store, they might just get what they needed, he suspected they would need a lot and Hiro agreed, plus there was that tank game in there.

'_It must have taught her patience, accuracy, and tactical thinking,' _as Hiro listened in as final checks were performed, his thoughts on the young tank nut, '_Maybe even strategic thought processes,' _his musing was cut short when he realized he had Team F in his ears, "Sorry, lost in thought about my little sis back in a tank."

"_Ah!" _Branwyn's voice drifted over the radio, "_Is t'e big brudder t'ere concerned for 'is li'l sis'der? 'ow sweet!"_

"Oh cram it Branwyn!" Hiro's voice betrayed he found being teased about his sister's safety endearing after not being able to do so for some time, "Either way, all set?"

"_Yep!" _was the Welsh girl's response, "_Jus' sid'ing wi' not'in bet'er ta do."_

"Standby, looks like Instructor Chono is about to start," Hiro checked in on all his teams, for safety's sake and even teased Miho briefly over the radio, garnering a very shy and stuttered response.

"Hiro!" Ryo was all smiles to his eyes as the tribal marked boy just chuckled and concluded.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Outside the enclosed room of the observation tower, Chono Ami took up a pair of binoculars and took in the fields and grooves beyond. The seven tanks were correctly parked at their designated points and appeared to be sitting on standby. She had noted the time it had taken for them to reach their designated points. They had been rather quick for a bunch of new beginners at large.

"Well it looks like you've all arrived at your starting points." She said to the girls as a whole. "Now the rules are simple: you must knock out all other tanks. In other words, shoot up a storm and take out your opponents. Got it?"

"_Kinda,"_ Anzu replied with a laugh as she leaned back in her tank, not realizing she had just transmitted that.

"_That's not something I hoping to hear from you madam president."_ Yuzu's voice mumbled to her, but still enough for the radio to pick up.

"_You are aware everyone's receiving your words?" _Hiro's voice came over the radio deadpanned.

"Tankery starts with a bow and ends with a bow," Ami said into the radio, cutting the chatter off, "All participants bow…" Though they couldn't see them from where they were...

XxXxXxXxXxX

All crews did as ordered and bowed to one another, even though none of them could see one another. They also thanked one another for the match they were about to have. Then they rose up and waited.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Now let the match begin!"

And she shot a flare into the sky overhead.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Don't look so bothered Hiro," Ryo noticed his friend shifting nervously, "We both agreed she'll need this and will be better for it," despite his words, Ryo's leg was bouncing up and down with nervous energy as he waited for things to actually begin.

"I wish we could have told her, I really do," Hiro was no stranger to holding out on information, but this was tearing into him since it was hitting so close to home.

Ami chose that moment to walk in briefly, the tanks were only maneuvering and she could see that they were actually all doing well. She heard the discussion between the boys and became curious and stepped up.

"We didn't tell Miho that Team A is being singled out by Teams B, C, D, and E," Hiro looked ready to simply stand up and pace, but the reality was, that Ryo had already disconnected his radio and hid the keys to their vehicles, "Teams F and G were formed too late to be brought in on the plot."

"I see," Ami's look was clearly unhappy, but understanding, "So last year really got to her."

"Nearly died trying to pry that hatch," Ryo reported as he was now drumming his fingers across his arm, "I was the one who pulled her out of the water along with the team that went into the drink," Ryo was nervous energy himself, "She managed to pop the hatch just enough that they were able to force it and get out, but they were in for too long and almost drowned, hell, I was passing out when the first rescuer grabbed my arm and pulled me up and onto the rescue barge," Ryo had dealt with death being close, but drowning, there was just something about it that was more terrifying than a rocket barrage, "I'll take a Stuka attack over drowning any day of the week."

"I didn't know that," Hiro shifted, "How'd you avoid being discovered?"

"Played the right cards," was Ryo's only response.

Ami and Hiro only nodded while the girls from the Automotive Club remained silent on what they heard.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"I can't reach!" Saori complained after she was convinced to kick Hana in the shoulder to indicate direction.

"Well, it was a Japanese Army practice," Yukari admitted in embarrassment after supporting Miho trying to get Saori to do so, "But this is a German tank and the gun and length would be issues," even Yukari couldn't reach Hana without seriously trying.

"Ooohhhh!" Saori began to furiously rub her hands through her hair, "So what can we do?!"

Hana brought the tank to a stop as they discuss the matter. As the discussion was continuing, there was a sudden blast that startled them all and especially so scared Saori.

"What was that?!"

Miho popped her side hatch and looked out and then around and that was when she saw the heat dissipation in the air and looked down.

Because Hana had stopped the tank in the way she did, the shot had barely missed them by a couple of meters. She then looked up and behind, gazing into the trees since it was opened to the front and the impact crater was angled from a shot from behind.

It didn't take her long, for there it sat.

The Type 89B I-Go Otsu and its barrel was still smoking.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Wow..."

"Such power..."

"I want to spike like that..."

The sound of another round going in, even though the official leader was just as entranced by the shot, brought them back to motion, but it was still slow going. It was shocking to the team just how powerful the 57mm gun was. While compared to most modern guns, it was very weak, the crater was no joke. Still, the shot they fired hadn't score a hit.

And if it didn't score a hit, that meant they didn't score at all.

They couldn't accept that!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Miho got back inside the tank to let them know what was happening outside. Naturally though, Soari began to panic and ordered that they get away. Hana had barely started the tank moving when the Type 89 fired again, but since Hana was practically stomping on the gas, the Mark IV took off with a lurch and barely missed being hit by the second shot that cratered where they had been the moment before.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

As the Mark IV started running, inside the StuG III, they could see the battle starting. They all knew of the deal, save for Teams F and G. Erwin stated they would support and aid the Type 89 as agreed and Caesar remarked a historical quote.

"_This does want again?"_ a new voice suddenly inquired and the distinctive roar of the 77mm HV could be heard as the StuG III bounced from a glancing hit that made them take off running to avoid the next shot.

"_Oh! Right, that fires the main gun."_

"Obviously!" Erwin growled as she leaned out to inspect the damage and saw a rent in the armor that would have to be fixed later, "Now I wish we had a Jadgtiger."

Her face couldn't be anymore flat even if she tried.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Wow!" Brandwyn remarked seeing the fleeing StuG, "A glancing 'it an' t'ey gots a migh'y long ren' in t'eir armor."

"Hmm," Ohana tapped her chin, before spotting the M3 meandering along, right behind the Panzer 38(t), "What do you two make of their movements?"

"A righ' trap, t'at's wot," Brandwyn stated before clearing her throat at the looks she was getting, "They be in company, you can bet that!"

Suzuki shook her head in disagreement of the tactic, "I know the volleyball girls are hard up, but the same is all around."

"So let's form a squadron and meet them in honorable battle," Ohana stated with a fan pointing to her the other 'team' in this battle.

"We'd be on the outnumbered side," Suzuki stated, but she didn't care, it would be a challenge.

"So were the Yorks at the Battle of Towton," Brandwyn supplied, "But then the Lancastrians exposed their flank to Yorkist reinforcements and their remaining leaders quit the field, abandoning their men."

"Then we shall be the Yorks in this battle," Ohana declared as she sought out the Comet on the radio.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"You're kidding me?!" Ryo shouted into the radio in shock and anger, "I swept the fields myself and placed the warning signs too!"

"What's wrong?" Ami stuck her head in, leaning back to observe the battle before continuing, "Is it that girl that jumped onto the Mark IV?"

"Yep," Hiro supplied, having heard the same, "Ryo is mad because she slipped by him and was napping in the training grounds."

"As long as she wasn't hurt," Ami went back outside to watch and hear.

"F and G have joined and are moving together," Hiro reported as he checked the battle himself, "Looks like a truce has been called."

"Red Rose versus White Rose," Ryo supplied, he had picked up the communique earlier, but only enough to know they were discussing the War of the Roses, "Seems like Kadotani's plans aren't as she planned."

"The Crusader is going to be on time to link up, but the same can't be said of the Comet," Hiro supplied and Ryo winced and spoke.

"Battle of Towton. Estimates place the number of combatants in the 60,000 area on the low side and in single day of snow and wind, saw the total destruction of the Lancastrian army there and they were the bigger force by factors of 5 or thereabouts."

"Ouch," Hiro replied before, "They've reached the bridge. Can they cross it?"

"Let's hope for no repeat," Ryo stated as he remembered the year before, "Or a Bridge over the River Kawi."

"Worse yet," Hiro nodded in agreement as he spoke, "A Bridge Too Far."

"Yeah," Ryo looked worried, "Definitely not that."

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The Mark IV was beginning to cross the bridge, Miho guiding the tank and Hana doing her best to drive. They had time between the shots from the StuG III and the Type 89. They had to hurry and get across the bridge or else...

The distinctive sound of a 6-pdr cannon firing as the six pound projectile struck the StuG and blew a wheel off, but failed to disable the assault gun.

"What!?" Saori turned to see Ohana waving as smoke softly left the Crusader's main gun.

"_Teams B and E are to the front of you, be careful," _Suzuki informed Team A as she took aim with the 6-pdr and on Ohana's command, fired again, but the StuG managed to back up all the same, "_Damn!"_

Hana through all the shooting kept a firm eye on Miho, doing her best to follow the experienced girl's directions. But she drove the Mark IV too far to the left and it began to scrape against the steel wire support.

"AH!" Yukari made a noise at seeing something behind them, "Incoming Izumi-dono!"

The Type 89 fired a burst of machine gun fire to find the range, the rounds bouncing off the steel armor of the tank, but forcing people to duck. With that done, the volleyball club members fired the 57mm gun next, but Hana managed to bring the tank around enough that instead of the engine, the round bounced off the rear armor at an angle. Unfortunately, Hana had accidentally started tearing at another wire support at the rear of the tank and the hit jostled the AFV enough to finally cut through and begin to throw them off balance.

Then the StuG fired, but another 6-pdr shot hit it squarely in the flank, though not in the right place to knock it out. The 75mm round though, was sent off course before it could leave the barrel. The result was that it stuck the right side of the tank's rear and shoved it violently to sit squarely on the suspension bridge.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Type 89!" Erwin growled into the radio, "Do something about the Crusader!"

"_ROGER!"_ the four girls replied as one and energetically.

"Too much energy," Oryou stated with a shake of her head.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The Type 89 backed up and then turned to meet the Crusader Mark III. The two tanks were both equipped with 57mm guns, but the Crusader had an anti-tank version as opposed to the infantry support 57mm in the Type 89. Both tanks began to maneuver, but the Crusader was also a Cruiser tank, meaning mobility was something it was built for.

Unfortunately, the weight of the Crusader's better gun's rounds meant that the Type 89 could get off more shots. Both began to trade fire with the Crusader suddenly stopping, facing its opponent. The 89's 57mm rounds bounced off the frontal armor of the Crusader, but the return fire was slow and the Type 89 dodged, just barely though.

The Mark IV suddenly gave a lurch backwards, before straightening itself out and now it was not only squarely on the bridge, but righted too. The three tanks were unaware of what was happening. The only thing they knew was that the Mark IV was suddenly moving very effectively and confidently with skill and precision.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Whose driving the Mark IV?!" Ryo shouted in disbelief at how the tank had righted itself and then charged forward, dodging fire from both the StuG and a suddenly interested Type 89, "No way that can be Izumi-san!"

"It ain't," Hiro supplied as he also observed the tank's sudden transformation into a mobile platform, "Teams B and E have begun to round the bend."

Chono Ami just smiled as she watched the Mark IV turn itself around and seemingly sort itself out.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The Crusader took advantage of the enemy's attention to finally get a good sight on the Type 89 and fire. The six pound shot was clean and struck the Japanese tank cleanly on the flank. Smoke appeared from the hit and a little hatch on the turret popped open releasing a little stand with a white flag attached to it.

"Finally you bugger!" Brandwyn cheered as her two teammates also cheered, but the StuG was still left.

Though now, seemingly re-energized itself, the Panzer Mark IV Ausf. D came to a halt on in the middle of the bridge and the turret began to rotate. It was a race to see who could shoot first. The StuG had to adjust itself, it was already a lost caused to the crew, but they wouldn't be giving up. Then their AFV made a sound that shocked them and then the right track snapped!

"The Crusader's shot!" Erwin shouted already realizing what happened.

The Mark IV, Yukari on the trigger, fired.

"Just like in many a battle," Erwin stated as the 75mm round from the Mark IV struck them in the front and smoke filled the crew compartment.

The little right flag on the StuG gently shifted in the light wind.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Dang!" Anzu looked at the sight of two knocked out tanks, "Team B, take the Crusader before they can maneuver, we got Team A as planned," and she signed off, hearing confirmation from the M3 which moved to engage the Crusader.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"That's it for the Crusader," Hiro remarked as one of the Auto girls placed a mark on its avatar, showing it was out of action.

"A 75mm to its flank, I'm not surprised even though the 37mm bounced," Ryo stated as the 38(t) was then marked as defeated.

"Where's the Comet?" one of the girls suddenly asked, as they had no idea where it was.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The tank in question suddenly burst through the foliage, having gotten lost on the way by accident. The crew though, still hadn't enough experience and only managed to ram the M3. The result was rather shocking.

Both tanks had little white flags fluttering above them.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"You've gotta be kidding me," Ryo deadpanned at the sight.

Hiro said nothing as he just stared.

XxXxXxXxXxX

A recon drone flew over the battlefield. It showed a bird's eye view of six disabled tanks and one victorious tank. It looked more like some kind of Online Massive Multiplayer RPG than an actual training exercise.

"Teams B, C, D, E, F, and G," Instructor Chono's voice was filtered over the radio, "All disabled, Team A of Second Platoon is the winner," and the woman lowered her binoculars, "Congratulations Second Platoon on your win."

It may not have been the desired exercise, but the girls had learned.

The crew of the Mark IV opened their hatches and stuck their heads up in disbelief. All around them were six disabled tanks. Two were joined, one was battered, and three others all had a single hole in their outer armor. The Panzer 38(t) had been the strangest, with an actual glowing hole, an indication of the power of the 75mm gun against the Czechoslovakian designed tank.

"We won?" Saori asked, a little awed and a little shocked.

Before anyone could say or do anything, Yukari practically tackle hugged Miho.

"You did it Nishizumi-dono!" the girl shouted out happily and despite herself, Miho felt rather warm and happy herself.

"We won?" Saori questioned in a trance of disbelief.

"Ah!" Yukari suddenly shouted as she released Miho and bowed down so fast, it was a wonder she didn't hit the tank hull, "I lost myself there for a moment Nishizumi-dono, forgive me!"

"So we are victorious?" Hana questioned herself ignoring Yukari, finding the girl's energy to be enjoyable.

"More like the last team was taken out by our allies in a kamikaze attack," Reizei Mako stated with a neutral expression that sounded like she just woke up and wasn't firing on all cylinders herself, despite the fact that the jet haired, coal eye girl was sitting in the driver's seat.

"Was that even by design?" Saori looked a little put out by how that happened.

"I don't think so," Hana stated looking at it, "They almost missed, if the M3 hadn't backed up."

"_All teams standby," _Chono began speaking, "_Ryo and Hiro are on their way out to pick you up, but good battle everyone."_

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

A couple of hours later, everyone stood at attention in line and rank as Chono looked them over. Most of the girls were filthy from having their tanks knocked out. A few others had mud and grass stains from where they had fallen after dismounting their tanks. Only the Pz. IV crew looked presentable and clean.

"Good job, you do great!" Chono praised all the girls, "I noticed some work needs to be done, but you all have a great start I'm surprised!" as she smiled at the gathered girls, "Teams F and G, you really surprised, especially you Team G," Chono smiled at the surprised girls, "You showed me that you _can _operate the tanks, you just need some confidence and that will come with time and experience, no different from anything," she nodded, "Just believe in yourselves a little more and then you will do well."

For some reason, the five girls felt themselves perk up, feeling warm in their chests at hearing that praise.

"Thank you Instructor Chono-dono!" the five bowed as one, feeling rather happy.

"You girls owe your selves the thanks, just time is that is needed," then Chono turned to the girls of the Crusader Cruiser Tank, "You three especially well," she praised again, "Are you sure you didn't compete for other schools before?" she asked teasingly and the girls giggled and shared a look that said nope!

"Thank you Instructor Chono-dono!" the girls also bowed, though Bradwyn was still getting the hang of a proper bow.

And then Chono Ami looked over to the stars of the girls that afternoon, "and you Team A," the five looked a little straighten up as they were addressed, "A slow start, but once you sorted your selves out and found your driver, you did extremely well, better than one would think considering how you started out.

Yukari looked to be in paradise as the praise was given, while Saori and Hana looked happy, and Mako kept her face neutral, but she stood a little taller still. Miho didn't look all that much different, feeling a little lower though. She just didn't know what to think.

And as if she were reading the girl's thoughts, "Miho-chan, you did especially best of all," Ami smiled and Miho looked surprised, "You belong in command, a lonely position, but a good position when supported by friends and colleagues," then turning her head a little, "and especially when supported by family and loved ones," Ryo did his best not to blush as he smiled while Hiro put a hand behind his head and stuck his other hand out in a 'V' for victory with a big goofy smile on his face.

Miho felt warmth that she hadn't felt in a long time suddenly enter her chest and she shyly smiled with a shy nod and Ami felt she had helped her grow up a little.

"Okay," Ami clapped her hands together, "We're worry about working out the trouble spots everyone has over the next couple of weeks as we get everyone registered and ready, during which time your tanks can get a full overhaul and full maintenance check," she looked around at the girls, "During which time you can further your studies and get in some more physical training as well as learn the various nuasinences behind tank operations."

All the girls nodded.

"With that out of the way now," Chono began to wrap happily, "Graduations on today's exercise and I'll see you all tomorrow, details will be sent out and know that you can always call, text, or e-mail me for any advice you might need or concerns you have."

With that said, Anzu called all the girls through the proceedings and then dismissed them.

Once the girls began to leave, Ami turned to the two boys.

"Get some rest too," she sternly ordered, "I can make arrangements for the tanks to get some general repair tonight and detail work can be done over the week."

"Very well Captain Chono," Ryo responded, actually kind of glad at being excused from work, "I haven't had the time to actually tour the ship per se, so that'll work out."

"Yeah tell me about," Ryo responded and gave a half hearted salute, "Thank you Ami, see ya around?" the young man smiled warmly.

"Sure thing," Ami smiled back and actually leaned in, surprising both boys with a kiss to the the cheek each, "Thank you for being here for them and Miho especially."

"Always," Hiro stated with a smile as he returned the favor and Ryo only smiled with a nod.

And with that, the three headed about their business for the night.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Later that evening, the groups were enjoying a time at the local bath house. Ryo and Hiro were in their own section, though they could hear the talking from the female side. The two wandered out into an open air bath that gave a good look of the sea all around the ship. It was a raised position, surrounded by open gardens and a traditional wooden wall that kept onlookers from looking in, especially if there were ladies, though Ryo knew that women were just as likely as men.

They were just more reserved and unexpected.

"Beautiful," Hiro stated observing the clear skies above, "The world has changed since the last war."

"Yep," Ryo responded, eying the beautiful sky too, recalling his history of the last major war, only a few decades ago, the Global War of nations, organizations, terrorists, and more waging an unrelenting global conflict before those who fought for freedom finally brought it to heel.

"You don't think it ended," Hiro read his friend's mind, "Do you?"

"Evidence points that those responsible were either killed or able to regain control and end it," Ryo stated as he watched the stars, "Otherwise the UNSC wouldn't have the military might it has now."

"Objective?" Hiro sighed in both pleasure and annoyance.

Ryo's lips quirked upward, "Global control," he responded easily, "It hasn't changed, not one bit, only we seem to be getting the upper hand and so the Second Global War is gearing up."

"Well damn," Hiro responded to that anylasis and he didn't doubt his friend, "I sired my kids into a world that is supposed to be peaceful, not war locked."

"We'll win," Ryo stated with definite, assured tone, "The smart ones aren't alive any longer and all the new blood is all the kind unable to handle the responsibilities of controlling the world as is and some might actually take to helping to build it into a new world of which we will see."

"You sure sir?" Hiro addressed his friend as he was really, "Even for a general that is hard Brigadier," the response would tell much.

"We are but a moment's away from death, even in the peace of sleep, death will embrace eternally, let us decide our futures meek as mice or are we the mouse that roars like as a lion and embraces the existence of life to fullest extent so that when our time invariably comes, we can look back and say, yes, we lived?"

Chuckling, Hiro poured some sake into a pair of saucers before holding his up, "For tonight, let us live indeed!"

Collecting the other and doing the same, "For adventure, life, and the journey, let's!"

And the two knocked their drinks back, savoring the warm feeling.

XxXxXxXxX

"Huh?" Miho wondered what was just said, but shrugged, she was enjoying the baths and it was so much fun with friends as they sat down and she reached over for some water, but Bradwyn suddenly stole it.

"Nope!" instead she held up another bottle, "Since we can't be having a nip of good cheer, we'll see who can drink a saucer of soft drink and not cough up!"

Miho only blinked but nevertheless, each girl passed the bottle around and then with saucers full and a written promise that had been texted off keeping Mako in the Pz. IV, they held up their saucers and then knocked back their drink.

XxXxXxXxX

The two young males sat, drinking a little carefully each. They couldn't get pissed face drunk after all. Even City Ships had age caps and they were technically under it. Though, when you see your men and friends dying around you in the hell of war and combat, rules should be bent. Hiro reached for another bottle to pour himself a drink, but instead.

"Soda?" he blinked in surprise.

"ERGH?!" came a number of female voices from the rocks behind them.

"Oh hell," Hiro stated, though he was surprised when Ryo simply stood up and looked over the rocks and got a full view of Miho trying to stand as she wobbled.

"Hiro, check the listings for this bath will you?" Ryo reached over and studied the leader of the Pz. IV.

"O-kay," and the tribal marked commander of tanks did so and blinked, as he checked the listings and times, "It's uh..."

Ami beat him too it.

"It's mixed bathing for the rest of the night," the woman stepped in, not even bothering with a towel and showing off a body that could kill as good as her gunnery skills in a tank, "Thought I'll share with some fellow TOWNHOUSE veterans," she held up a couple things of British Beer and some containers of sake as she sat down next to Hiro who only chuckled.

"Mother would have a fit," but Hiro was a grown boy now, a man who had looked into the hellfires of war and survived its searing touch as he popped the top on a couple of beers with a stunt he mastered after watching a movie once, "One for the lady, one for me, and Ryo! Catch!"

Ryo did as Miho finally noticed the naked male holding her up. Her face went blank, then sheer crimson scarlet. Before she could say or do anything, Hiro stepped up and forced a saucer of sake into her hand.

"Bradwyn, care for the hard stuff?"

"Does the crown sit on royal heads!" she replied and caught the fourth open beer, "You wee lasses can enjoy the sake until you're fine and ready," the Welsh girl moved over, not caring about showing off her own body, hidden often by makeup and clothing, the jagged scars were there for the world to see, a reminder of a happy moment reduced to a nightmare by flash and heat.

The remaining girls of the Pz. IV and the Crusader were just gawking as the four shared backstories and chatted like old friends. On both Hiro and Ryo's right shoulders were tattoos of Oceanside Boys Academy of Military Science.

"ACK!" Saori made a noise then shouted, "Shouldn't you two be elsewhere?!"

"Hardly," Ami chuckled as she leaned back, her exposed front doing things that made several of girls slightly nervous about their own, "It is mix bathing right now," she chastised, "You should have checked the schedule and not taken the boys' sake by mistake."

Saori was about to complain when Ohana took a saucer of sake and began to sip at it. Before Saori could say something, Tomoko was also knocking a saucer back, doing so hard too. Then Hana decided to follow suit as she moved and sat next to Hiro, drawing his attention.

"Oh?" he looked her in the eyes, "You serious?"

The response was only a nod of conviction.

Smiling softly, he put an arm around her waist and pulled her in close. Hana chose to lean in close, softly drinking her sake. That close she could feel Hiro's muscles under his skin and he was rock hard. She was honestly surprised at that, but like the warm feeling when a tank's gun fired, she really felt a warm glow in her heart and she could feel the warmth that Hiro radiated.

Ryo merely drank, Miho quietly and shyly sipped her sake. She wondered what she was supposed to do. Her new friend was obviously becoming taken with her brother and her, she sat, naked and next to an also naked Ryo who drank a harder drink then her sake. Yet, she felt a kind of happiness in the awkard moment as the girls loosened up and began to drink their sake, Bradwyn enjoying her native drink and Captain Chono as Ami Chono was also drinking well enough.

By culture and tradition, they should have been separated and kept that way. But Ami seemed to insist that the girls get together for a night of light drinking and bond. She stated that they shouldn't have more than a bottle for a whole, though tonight was special, she expected them to find ways to always have time to find something to do. She informed them as well that they should consider how they would be in their own groups and even alone. That camaraderie didn't always mean they had to be by their sides, so long as they knew they supported one another.

Everyone agreed with the sense of the idea. Though it felt strange to be bonding naked in a public bath, but strangely, no one else walked in. Which was probably good, because it became clear that Hiro and Hana had a little too much to drink and were lip locked with things moving along.

Fortunately, Ami was still the adult of the group and broke that up. Then checking the time, she decided that everyone had to head off to home and to bed. There was agreement to that as they all began to work their way out.

Then Saori had a thought, whether by drunkenness or not, would have to wait until the next day.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Miho and Ryo waved to Hana and Hiro as the two wandered off to Hana's apartment. Ryo figured that Hana might have a slight limp the next morning, something that lit up Miho's face. She began to stammer out how that was wrong, until a finger landed on her lips.

"Your brother is smarter than that," Ryo leaned in close to Miho, he spoke next to her ear, "He'll ensure it isn't the sake talking or acting," the two began a slow walk themselves.

As they walked back to Miho's, Ryo as an escort, they walked in silence. Miho unable to bring herself to speak to Ryo on many things. She wanted to know more of what he had been up to. She would like to know about the tattoos he and her brother spotted. She was curious as to how they knew Bradwyn so well, how they could get along with her. She just wanted to know things.

"After a while," Ryo began as he thought how he would speak. It was really hard as he thought about it. How does one relate that they really came to their ex-intended and explain that he was spying for the UNSC, gathering intelligence and trying to protect the _Oorai-Meidan_ from a group planning a still yet not uncovered military campaign that would likely lead to a major war. It was tough to say the least. Still, he knew how to speak about some things.

"Bradwyn's brother, myself, and Hiro all attended a UN Security Command academy," Ryo began again as he thought it out, "Oceanside Boys Academy of Military Science," he chuckled, "We were planning to poach on your turf, Sensha-dou, but as Cannon Cockers, not as Spam in a Can," he saw the look on her face and then she realized what he meant and she pouted quite cutely, "Ahaha!" he laughed lightly at her face and for the first time in a long time, deeply genuine emotions were on his face and this made Miho smile herself.

From there, it was easier, much easier. After all, his reason was right beside him as they walked, talking like a normal couple. Miho in her school uniform and Ryo in a throwback design of a military uniform modified to for school service rather than military.

It was blue and green American design based on the World War One uniform. He wore a blue with green trim service coat over a normal green blue trim issue shirt, the collar was over the edge of the service coat, like the forebearer of the previous century to prevent chafing at the neck. He wore green with blue trim service trousers with blue with green trim leggings over the issue black boots. He had a black Sam Browne Belt on and was wearing instead of the WW2 Crush Hat which looked like a normal peak cap, it was a blue and green trim Garrison Cap, also known as the Overseas Cap and Side Cap.

He looked more military, if colorful, than other uniform wearing school boys. He almost looked like her intended again. Like an officer of some distant past period saying farewell to his love before shipping off to some distant battlefield.

It was rather romantic and just behind them, far enough back to not be seen and close enough to see, Saori was already agreeing to that appearance.

Needless to say, it was a peaceful walk for the two, ending in a kiss on Miho's cheek as Ryo walked back to the 'Barracks,' the sleeping quarters he and Hiro had in the tank largar.

XxXxXxXxXxX

At precisely 0600 hours, Ryo began to blow Taps as Hiro fired at precisely 0605 the ceremonial cannon.

Two hours later, all the girls were stumbling in. It was clear, none of them liked the wake up call. Nevertheless, they came in, Mako included, but how Saori managed to be bright this early in the morning is unknown to most.

After all, of those who had a drink last night, only Mako, Ohana, Tomoko, and Yukari were clearly suffering an after effect. Hana didn't have a slight limp, but it was clear that she was walking on Cloud Nine. Miho looked like she had a slight case of post-drinking next morning, not enough in any case of the girls to term a hangover, and seemed to be well and about.

Bradwyn came marching in as fine as could be. Then again, the English loved their pints and quarts. A bit of nip here and there. They were about match to the Germans on beer, a funny irony.

When Ami showed up, she had only a mild headache. The cause was not English Beer, but a late night call from her superiors. Apparently someone claimed there had already been a serious accident. Two tanks had collided and there were a dozen injured. She reported two tanks collided and only mild bruising at worst in a training exercise that had left the tanks in need of repair as the two major casualties.

They confirmed her receipt of report and demanded to know about the girl nearly ran over. When informed said girl had wandered by all warnings and was ditching class, she was released of responsibility. Especially after the report of the girl now joining the Sensha-dou Team and added that she was a very natural and skilled driver, one the JGSDF would want to try to entice into service when she graduated.

The reports went back and forth and pretty much ended any concern.

That had taken several hours and it showed with a mild headache.

"Good morning everyone!" Ami began gently enough.

"Good morning Instructor Chono!" the girls all bowed to her.

"Very good that you all are here," Ami began as she looked the lines over, "For today, we're start off with a little morning PT and from there, you will take time to do your studies and then afterward another lighter round of PT followed by some bookwork on learning the ins and outs of your tanks and tank history," the girls all groaned as Ami giggled, "Don't worry, I'll be with you each step of the way, right Ryo?" she smiled and the boy nodded before stepping forward.

"We do not have a course properly set-up," he announced and the girls all gulped, except the track girls, volleyball girls, history girls, and Yukari, "So it will be normal PT warm-ups followed by a hike, and the cooldown exercises and back to class," he announced, taking a look at his datapad, "Should only take you two hours at worst, next time show up earlier, an hour's extra time to shower and dress will allow you to present yourselves as the pride of the Oorai All Girls High School," he finished his announcement as he spun on his heel and marched back to his spot.

"That's good to hear, so let's get things started, to the locker room!" Ami ordered and the girls complied, normally the Sensha-dou team would be housed in 'barracks' -read dorm life- or if their homes were particularly close, with their families.

Now the barracks belonged only to Hiro and Ryo and as such, the Oorai girls had everything scattered about as normal girls would.

"Hit the song?" Hiro asked suddenly.

"Crank it up Hiro," Ryo responded and the song started up as they took out their tools and joined the Automotive Club girls on tank maintenance and repair.

"_**I'm in over my head!"**_

The girls came out in a hurry, some still pouting the shorts up and shirts down. Ami Chono was already ready in her PT gear. In seconds the girls were doing their warm-ups.

"_**They wanna try and build me up, so they can tear me down!**_

_**I wish I could be back there, but I'm right here right now!"**_

Ryo coordinated the tank repairs and spoke on the phone, finally having found Perry, real name Pierre Françoise Marie Gaston De Watt. He is the second son of the De Watt Conglumerate and they have a section devoted to maintaining Chemin de la Char or 'The Path of the Tank.' As such, Perry as he became known, much to his annoyance, agreed to take the S35 in and have it looked at and repaired. He stated that it may serve at first as a training tank, but he knew that Ryo already had a plan to make it a frontline tank.

"_**They've taken everything that I had to give them!**_

_**They say it is over, but hey man I'm still here livin!**_

_**I don't know what to do, I think I maybe..."**_

"Merci Pierre, je vais attendre pour votre oiseau puis!" Ryo stated in passable French, it was a little grating and nasally, but he had come a long way from butchering it.

"_Naui chingu , dangsin-eun geogjeong haji anh-adodoebnida ,hajiman nan daegalo butag-eulhanda," _Pierre responded, he was actually in Mali, helping a local Chemin de la Char team get started.

"Vous avez besoin de se demander," Ryo replied, he wasn't going to pass up a chance to practice his French.

"_Nae dongsaeng-i jigeum siljelo haggyo e jeonsong doebnida , dangsin-eun geunyeoui gaib eul-wihan junbileul hal su issseubnikka?"_ Pierre wasn't about to pass up the chance to practice his Korean.

"Je crois que je peux prendre des dispositions, le Panzer 38 (t) est l'abréviation d'un membre d'équipage en ce moment," Ryo replied, knowing it might be a bit of a hassle, "Vous espérez que j'ai un autre char de combat pour elle de fonctionner ou que vous espérez qu'elle va commander le S35?"

"_Naneun dangsin-i sudo , dangsin-eul algoissda,"_ Pierre responded before yawning, he was hours behind Ryo and the Oorai-Meiden.

"J'ai des raisons de croire qu'un char de combat, B2bis modèles, pose quelque part," Ryo responded.

"_Geuleom uli neungigab 38 ( t)neun chekoui taengkeu ibnida joh-eun il hab-ui!"_ Pierre chuckled on the other end.

"Que nous sommes, je vais faire des arrangements dès que j'en ai l'occasion, bien dormir Pierre," Ryo concluded.

"_Dangsin-eul gamsahago i dangsin ui pal-e neomu nae chingu wa donglyo ege jeulgeoun halu," _and with that, Pierre hung up to sleep a little.

"_**I'm in over my head**_

_**Stuck in the red**_

_**Something they said**_

_**Make me think that I'm in..."**_

"Over my head," Ryo thought aloud, "Just maybe."

XxXxXxXxX

**Second chapter done. Sorry that took so long. I got started on an old Guntech project and was working on Gear of Zero. For some reason, I feel like bashing Guiche early on. Probably his attitude needs some altitude adjustment in my book.**

**Things have begun to heat up and some things are out early. For those with questions, I'll only answer reviews that have something to do with the performance, not the storyline. So you'll have to wait there mates.**

**As for the mixed bathing moment. I know it's supposed to be cute. Unfortunately, I'm not good with cute. That and it has a ripple effect.**

**Trying to hammer out a timeline on this. The sheer size of the ship and the tech in it, makes it very much mid to late 21st century, bordering on the 22nd Century. So I'm also working on a dating system, to give a sense of time and place in this whole thing. I do hate it when no calendar systems are used and if they are, not very well fleshed out.**

**So we have two tanks not in, two more that are in, and things building up even now. So I hope you enjoy this story and yes, I'm gonna try to keep the cute, but don't hold yer breath. I don't do cute. I do what I do.**


End file.
